Anti-jail campaigners enlist another 1,700 supporters...in 1 day (From Echo)

Anti-jail campaigners enlist another 1,700 supporters...in 1 day

11:00am Wednesday 14th April 2010 in

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ANTI-PRISON campaigners doubled their support in just one day.

Almost 1,700 residents signed up to stop a jail being built on the site of the old Runwell Hospital, in Runwell Road, Wickford, during a six-hour rally on Saturday.

Members of the No Prison in Runwell action group took their yellow battle bus to Wickford High Street, where they set up a stand offering people the chance to sign the petition.

They received 1,663 signatures.

Now the group, which campaigns every weekend, has collected more than 3,000 signatures.

Steve Fagioli, vice-chairman of Runwell Parish Council and an action group member, said the demonstrators were extremely pleased at the growing support.

He said: “We are over the moon and are just so pleased with the responses we got. When our group members turned up, there was already a queue of people forming, waiting to sign the petition.

“Opposition to the prison and support for our group is really starting to build up now.”

The surging number of people signing the petition is the latest boost for the action group.

Yesterday, the Echo told how their fight had already won support from Basildon Council, after Tory Wickford North members announced their official objections to the planned jail at a meeting of the authority’s cabinet.

The Ministry of Justice’s application to build the jail, which would hold 1,500 inmates, has already been lodged with Chelms-ford Council, which is responsible for the Runwell ward.

It is expected to consider the application at the end of May.

Campaigners say they don’t want the jail because it would blight Wickford, affecting plans for the town’s regeneration, and would increase traffic on already congested roads.

They are calling for the jail to be built on brownfield land elsewhere, as opposed to the green belt site at Runwell.