East West Rail route campaigners to stage over 10 protest walks this weekend

Campaigners are joining forces with environmental charities to stage protest walks this weekend.

Bedford For A Re-Consultation (BFARe) and countryside charity CPRE Bedfordshire will be walking at various locations from noon on Sunday (February 13).

The aim - according to both groups - is to send a "powerful message" to the Government to end private house building targets; ban large scale housing development in greenfield sites and demand all new homes be built to the highest environmental standards.

Dubbed the 'save our greenfields protest walks', both groups are also demanding Bedford Borough Council consults constituents and supports the least destructive route for East West Rail for the county.

In a joint statement, BFARe and CPRE Bedfordshire said: "Bedford council's continued support for Route E, which will destroy as area of rural villages and countryside, is enabling these developments to take place.

"Our countryside is needed for farming, for carbon capture, to provide wildlife havens to protect against alarming biodiversity loss - and as a recreational resource."

The walks will take place from:

Clapham

Bedford Park

Woodlands at Anjulita Court

Brickhill

Renhold Village Hall

Great Barford

Flitwick

Ravensden (there'll be two walks from here)

Wilden

Roxton

For more information, visit the CPRE Bedfordshire website or BFARe's Facebook page