Wethersfield prison group SWAP's latest meet-up a success

ANTI-PRISON campaigners have met once again as their movement against the Wethersfield prison proposals continues to grow.

Members from SWAP – Stop Wethersfield Airfield Prisons – met at Great Bardfield on Sunday.

The group, which was formed in December, is continuing to campaign to stop proposals for two state-of-the-art, multi-million pound prisons on the site of the former RAF Wethersfield airbase.

There are currently 11 parish councils that have joined, with Gosfield being the most recent to sign up.

The campaigners met in Great Bardfield, which is one of the many villages they say would be affected by the prison plans.

SWAP chairman Alan MacKenzie said: “The turnout was excellent, despite it being a gloomy, wet day.

“It was great to see people from Great Bardfield getting involved.”

Mr MacKenzie said the meet-up was key to letting the community know the effects the prisons would have on them.

He said: “We estimated that the traffic along the roads of Great Bardfield will more than double, about an extra 3,000 vehicle movements a day to the prisons.

“The MoJ has identified the main routes to the prisons as the B1053 – east to west – and the B1057 – north to south. The B1057 goes right through Great Bardfield village.

“It is about sending that message to residents and getting them on board.

“It is quite obvious that neither the parish councils nor residents are in favour of these plans.”

SWAP has also been doing presentations around the villages which will be affected by the proposals, and plan to do more meet-ups in the future.

Mr MacKenzie claimed the message is getting across, and that their group is growing rapidly.

He said: “It is clear what we are doing is being noticed.

“We are undoubtedly starting to get a lot of traction, even if it has taken a little while.

“We will be doing more as the weather improves.