Duncan Baker MP criticised over Norwich Western Link road support

Campaigners opposed to the construction of a link road have criticised an MP for his "inconsistent" support of the environment.

Stop Wensum Link (SWL) said it was "puzzled" by Duncan Baker's support of woodland bats in his North Norfolk constituency, but not of a rare colony just outside Norwich.

It follows the Conservative MP's decision to back the 3.9-mile (6.2km) Norwich Western Link to connect the Northern Distributor Road (NDR) to the A47.

Mr Baker said the link was a "major piece of critical Norfolk infrastructure".

SWL and environmentalists described the destruction of woodland at Ringland, to make way for the link, as being catastrophic for the UK's largest population of rare barbastelle bats.

On social media the group said Mr Baker appeared "genuinely concerned about the environment by promoting the preservation of dark skies and tackling light pollution, which greatly impact nocturnal wildlife".

But, they added, he held "conflicting stances", after advocating North Norfolk District Council reduces 350 homes planned for his constituency to "stop woodland being bulldozed".

The woods support bats, badgers and other wildlife.

SWL said given his position, they were "puzzled" over his support for the construction of the Norwich Western Link road, "which poses a threat to woodlands and a super colony of barbastelle bats residing there".

"This raises doubts about whether his concern for Norfolk's environment extends beyond what directly affects him and his immediate surroundings," the group said.

In response, the MP, who is a member of the Environmental Audit Select Committee, said: "It's very important to me to try and improve nature protections where we can.

"I have a 350-home housing scheme in North Walsham and with some very minor design changes we can protect the wooded area and nature that lives on that small copse to take account of the biodiversity it contains."

He said his support for the Norwich Western Link was because it "had the potential to shave up to 20 minutes off ambulance response times into the west of north Norfolk."

"I represent Wells which has some of the slowest ambulance response times in the country," he said.

"If I can save people's lives from say strokes or heart attacks, that is incredibly positive and is why I want to see the road built. To potentially save my residents' lives."

Mr Baker also said the bypass needed completing due to the economic benefits for business, as well as people living in villages blighted by traffic.

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