By Alan Richardson

G8 PROTESTERS are to begin plans for a march up the A9 next month after their original scheme was thrown out by Perth and Kinross council yesterday.

The council’s licensing committee refused to grant the G8 Alternatives group permission to march on July 6 from Gleneagles Station, along the busy dual carriageway, past Gleneagles Hotel and into Auchterarder.

In a separate decision, the council’s strategic policy and resources committee effectively killed off plans for a rally in Auchterarder’s public park by insisting they have to have public liability insurance.

The group admit they do not have the cash for this and fear no insurance company would cover them even if they did.

Socialist MSP, Frances Curran who spoke for the group during the committee meetings, revealed they will not challenge yesterday’s licensing ruling in court but will come back with a fresh application “in a few days.”

She said, “We will march up the A9 and that will mean it will have to close.

“We won’t march up Auchterarder High Street because we want to keep the disruption to the public to a minimum so that is the only alternative open to us.

“The police have said they don’t want us to march past Gleneagles Hotel but the A9 doesn’t run past the hotel. If they refuse this, they are causing the problems because protesters will be coming to exercise their right and if they don’t work with us to facilitate that, they are creating the barriers.”

The group had hoped to park hundreds of buses at Gleneagles Station, march down a closed southbound lane of the A9—in a move branded “suicidal” by Superintendent Ian Bell of Tayside Police—and into Auchterarder via the front gates of Gleneagles Hotel.

Police have ordered the closure of the latter part of their route already and, bearing in mind the force view on walking down the A9, councillors on the licensing committee agreed it should not be allowed.

Tayside Police would not comment directly on G8 Alternatives’ fresh plans yesterday, claiming to do so would be merely to add to speculation.

However, following the meeting, Assistant Chief Constable Willie Bald’s comments made it quite clear how a new application would be viewed.

He said, “Our position and that of Perth and Kinross Council in respect of the proposed march has not changed at any time.

“The assembly point at Gleneagles station is considered unsafe and unsuitable for the large numbers of people anticipated by G8 Alternatives.

“The first part of the route is along a major trunk road—the A9—and, therefore, raises very serious public safety concerns.

“The second part of the route is not possible due to the closures of local roads and rights of way that are necessary as part of the security operation around Gleneagles Hotel.

“These routes were identified several months ago and subsequently G8 Alternatives came forward with their proposal to march.”

He added, “Tayside Police hopes that G8 Alternatives can comply to the conditions attached to their application for a rally. We would be willing to meet them to discuss any ways in which we can assist them to do this.

“The force has a significant policing operation in place for the event and will manage those who attend the rally, so they can express their views in a peaceful and lawful manner.

“But, whilst we hope that no incidents will arise, we will take appropriate action to prevent any risk to public safety or security.”

Councillor Alan Grant said, “I would move for prohibition on the basis of safety of the public and the protesters themselves, particularly in relation to the A9 trunk road.

“The fact the other roads will be closed is also a concern because if the march goes ahead, an illegal act will be committed and the licensing committee can’t condone that.”

His motion was unopposed by the rest of the committee.

And there was further disappointment to come for G8 Alternatives, whose members held a demonstration before and after the committee meetings at council headquarters.

They had hoped to hold a massive public rally—with the possibility of Sir Bob Geldof addressing the 20,000 crowd—in Auchterarder’s public park and appealed to the council to waive the need for public liability insurance, as well as meeting the £60,000 costs of the event, to be reimbursed by the Scottish Executive.

But the strategic policy and resources committee ruled they would have to have insurance and they were unwilling to underwrite the costs without a written guarantee from the Executive.

With these in place, they agreed a rally of just 4500 can take place.

However, this was met with dismay by G8 Alternatives, whose leaders know they cannot afford the insurance, or the event costs and want thousands more people to attend.

Auchterarder councillor Colin Young was scathing about the protest group’s plans, pointing out it was unclear exactly who they would apply to for the road closure as trunk roads are under the authority of Bear Scotland.

He said, “It would raise a lot of issues of public safety.

“Anything that distracts drivers from driving safely has the potential to cause an accident.

“You just have to look at the number of accidents on that road, even with speed restrictions.”

He added, “G8 Alternatives have not really demonstrated they are prepared for something of this size.

“If they had come up several months before they may have found a suitable site but they seem to want everyone else to do everything for them and that is not acceptable.”

The group will hold a Press conference in Glasgow today setting out their next plans.