A handful of activists held a candle lit vigil at Donnington Castle and planted an oak tree at Middle Oak camp on Saturday, to commemorate their campaign.

More than 700 protesters were convicted during the two year battle to build the much-needed eight-mile dual carriageway, with most arrests occurring during an 85-day campaign to evict protestors from 29 camps set up along the route.

The bypass opened in November 1998, and Northbrook Street was pedestrianised simultaneously. Although the road took 30% of traffic out of the town centre, local traffic has grown by almost as much in the interim.

Friends of the Earth said today that the campaign was successful in stopping the government road-building programme, and repeated calls for freight to be moved to rail, for children to be bussed to school, and for businesses to bring in green travel initiatives to cut congestion.