At the moment it is 2am on Friday , Aug 10th. Reports on Sky News and BBC World an hour ago state that Foot and Mouth is suspected , not yet confirmed, in cattle near Dorking , Surrey , about 7 miles east of Guildford. The new outbreak is outside the previous surveillance zone and now creates a third F and M zone.This is very bad news , because the disease has not been contained.
Dorking is in a VERY busy traffic area . It is only 4 miles south of the M25 and is also on the very busy A24 road south, which many use 24/7 to get to nearby Gatwick airport. If F and M DOES survive long enough outside host animals to be spread by people and vehicles , then heaven help British agriculture! It could not occur in a much busier part of the UK. Traffic is non-stop, day and night, around Dorking !!!
If animal pyres are started in that area , imagine all the smoke rising high into the sky around Gatwick Airport and the devastating global publicity!
Unlike previous outbreaks , "urban London man in stockbroker belt" is being affected by Foot and Mouth like never before. There is a HUGE population in Surrey and it seems that the Government is doing its best not to upset those wealthy ,influential urbanites , by closing all their Public Paths and inconveniencing their lives.
Ramblers Association groups in particular, are being paid far too much respect, it seems!!
It is ridiculous ! There are still many public paths open in the first two zones. Now there is a THIRD zone a few miles to the east.Why were ALL public highways in those zones , involving walking, mountain bikes and horses NOT SHUT FROM THE START?? It would be impossible to shut public roads, but footpaths and bridleways should have been closed and POLICED , if necessary.
CLOSE ALL PUBLIC PATHS CROSSING SURREY FARM LAND!!! FARMING IS A THOUSAND TIMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN RAMBLING !!