Keith Dukeson, veteran of the Newbury Bypass campaign, is walking to Brussels to highlight the continuing struggle to improve the environment for everyone. He will be in Newbury on Wednesday collecting letters from concerned citizens. He will be delivering the letters to the European Parliament on his arrival.

The environment is once more back on the national agenda. And although the environment appeared to be low on the list of election issues compared to Europe, Keith's walk shows that it is still very much at the top of the list for ordinary people.

1997 has seen a confession by Stephen Norris that the Newbury Bypass was wrong; protests at the A30 private finance road scheme; a road scheme scrapped in Guildford; and right up to date, the start of attempted evictions at Manchester Airport. These are the higher profile battles amongst many taking place around the country, where people are working to preserve valuable green spaces, woodlands and wetlands. Frustrated by the slow response of the political system, ordinary people are taking action to make their voices heard. Keith's walk is in that tradition.

He said: "It is appropriate that the Newbury stop on my route to Europe should coincide with the start of evictions in Manchester. I support the brave environmentalists wholeheartedly. I will be taking their message of hope and alternatives to Brussels."

Keith lived at the Go-Tan camp on Snelsmore Common through most of the Bypass campaign. Many of the local residents who gave consistent support to the camps will be there to welcome Keith on the swing bridge, with traditional coffee and cake !

ENDS

Editors Notes Keith will be met at 10am on Wednesday 21 May at the Swing Bridge on the canal, just west of the Town Lock. On site liaison Martin Jakes

READING: Keith will be in Reading on Wednesday pm/Thursday am