David Croker
Encyclopedia
David Croker was a key participant in the public enquiries which preceded the building of the major stretch of the M3 motorway
around Winchester. He came to national prominence as a vigorous and eloquent leader of the
campaign to prevent the digging of a cutting through Twyford Down
. In spite of legal challenges in the High Court and the European Court of Justice, the campaign ultimately failed to save the down, but it was a productive failure, which had a wide-ranging impact upon road planning nationally.
Croker's campaigning style was vigorous and passionate, but never sentimental and emotive. It was based upon meticulous research and cogent argument, and he drew upon his professional expertise, honed at IBM, in the technological management of transport issues.
In later years, he remained highly motivated by his environmental convictions and continued to campaign for a sustainable transport policy. In 1995, the year after the Twyford cutting opened to traffic, he advised a group of campaigners who were taking European legal action to stop construction of the Newbury bypass
, another controversial road scheme. The same year, he wrote: "Today we would be able to stop what happened to Twyford Down. As it is, we are left with a ruined landscape, which we must continue to hold up as an example wherever else we fight a campaign. There must be no repeat. Let Twyford Down be the death throes of a discredited transport system.”
M3 motorway
The M3 motorway runs in England for approximately from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, to Southampton, Hampshire and forms an unsigned section European route E05. It is dual three lanes as far as Junction 8 near Basingstoke and then dual two lane until Junction 9 near Winchester and then dual three...
around Winchester. He came to national prominence as a vigorous and eloquent leader of the
campaign to prevent the digging of a cutting through Twyford Down
Twyford Down
Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. The down's summit, known as Deacon Hill, is towards the north-eastern edge of the area which is renowned for its dramatic rolling scenery, ecologically rich grassland and as a...
. In spite of legal challenges in the High Court and the European Court of Justice, the campaign ultimately failed to save the down, but it was a productive failure, which had a wide-ranging impact upon road planning nationally.
Croker's campaigning style was vigorous and passionate, but never sentimental and emotive. It was based upon meticulous research and cogent argument, and he drew upon his professional expertise, honed at IBM, in the technological management of transport issues.
In later years, he remained highly motivated by his environmental convictions and continued to campaign for a sustainable transport policy. In 1995, the year after the Twyford cutting opened to traffic, he advised a group of campaigners who were taking European legal action to stop construction of the Newbury bypass
Newbury bypass
The Newbury bypass, officially known as The Winchester-Preston Trunk Road , is a stretch of dual carriageway road which bypasses the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England...
, another controversial road scheme. The same year, he wrote: "Today we would be able to stop what happened to Twyford Down. As it is, we are left with a ruined landscape, which we must continue to hold up as an example wherever else we fight a campaign. There must be no repeat. Let Twyford Down be the death throes of a discredited transport system.”
External links
- Hampshire Chronicle Files: M3 Protest (includes a photograph of David Croker at an early protest over Twyford Down).
- Businessman who fought the Twyford Down road plan Obituary in The Times, August 16, 2006.