In 1994 Adrian Arbib had privileged access to photograph the events on the Solsbury hill road protest, from the often violent actions taken by the private security guards to the quieter moments of life in the trees. His work is a unique record of an important moment in British political history when a peaceable ­political movement changed government transport policy.

“Solsbury Hill” is published to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the protest, the first of the major 1990s anti-roads protests. Most of Adrian Arbib’s stunning and provocative black and white photographs of the protest are published here for the first time in a superbly produced hardback book.

For more information on the protest visit solsburyhill.org.uk

Catch Adrian of BBC Radio 4's Excess Baggage on 20th June 2009

“This is our history. It is appalling and inspiring at the same time. These pictures of brave people should not be forgotten.”
John Vidal, Environment editor, the Guardian

“Adrian Arbib’s stunning photography captures better than anything else the spirit of the road protests of the 1990s.”
Paul Kingsnorth, author of Real England

An exhibition of photographs from the book is at The Walcot Chapel Gallery (info) in Bath from 17th to 28th February 2009 and Bath Central Library from 1st-8th March 2009.

Adrian Arbib will also be at the Bath Literature Festival 2009. There he will discuss the images and book in two talks, on the 1st March (3-4pm at Bath Central Library) (info) and on the 7th March (1-2pm at Bath Guildhall) (info). Further information on the Literature Festival can be found at www.bathlitfest.org.uk.

About the Author:

Adrian Arbib studied photography at the London College of Printing. Focusing on indigenous land rights, he has worked all over the world including in Africa, West Papua, India and Mongolia. His photographs have been widely published in the world’s press.
In 1997 he was awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Cherry Kearton Medal for his work with indigenous groups..