Barton Bridge on the M60. remains one of the most congested and accident prone stretches of motorway in the North West. The Highways Agency has a camera at Junction 10, both for its own monitoring purposes and to warn drivers of hold ups. Its pictures are publicly available through websites like www.motorwaycamaras.co.uk
This weekend, however, people were shocked to find that when they checked the camera, instead of seeing lorries and cars travelling over Barton Bridge, they were treated to views of protectors at the Davyhulme Community Protection Camp sitting around and drinking tea, waiting for eviction teams to move in.
Last Friday, the protectors lost an appeal against eviction from the Camp, which has been set up to raise awareness of potential fracking activity on the site, coupled with the building of a monstrous incinerator by Peel Holdings (see here). The area also has horrendous air pollution which is killing people in both Trafford (where the Camp is situated) and in Salford (see previous Salford Star article – click here).
Another appeal against eviction was due to be heard at 10am this morning but a team from UK Evict is already on site, the Salford Star understands.
Those who have stayed at the Camp have complained about illness and sores on their faces, caused, they say, by the poor air quality and chemicals being released into the atmosphere by the nearby water treatment works. Indeed, although the Camp is on land owned by Peel Holdings, United Utilities, which leases the area, has taken out the possession order.
Meanwhile, on the Camp's Facebook site, posters have been having a field day with the misuse of a traffic camera…
"If camp mates all turn and wave at the camera it then turns and faces the road for a while!" wrote one protector.
"Hope you're doing waltzes and tangos" wrote another.
"Hope no serious incidents have taken place on the motorway" posted another.
"Big Brother gets everywhere, should really be watching the motorway not peaceful protest. But when the bailiffs move in the camera will be focused on us but the live feed will be switched off. We really are living the Orwellian prediction…"
The Salford Star has asked the Highways Agency for a response…(see below)
To see the latest from the M60 camera - click here
Update: 1:30pm 30th June – Now Solicitor Gets Involved In Camera Scandal
Simon Pook from Robert Lizar Solicitors has now got involved in the M60 camera scandal, writing to the Highways Agency with human rights concerns and asking which authority permitted the changed use of the traffic camera…
"I visited the Davyhulme site last night and observed the motorway camera following people moving around the private land" he tells the Salford Salford "I have today written to the Highways Agency as I have significant concern as to the use of motorway cameras being used to film people on private land.
"It raises very serious issues of possible breaches of Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights, which protects the rights to privacy" he adds "I want to establish who requested the camera be used, who permitted the use of the camera, for what purpose and where the images are ending up....in a secret data base? We cannot permit such actions to go unchallenged."
Update: 2nd July
The Highways Agency has now responded with a spokesman saying...
''We are aware of the allegations and are investigating the matter. However, we would like to assure everyone concerned that the Highways Agency is interested only in the safe and efficient operation of the motorway network, including this section of the M60, and our CCTV cameras are not monitored by us for any other purposes.''
.jpg)
(1).JPG)
(1).JPG)
(1).JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
