'Disappointing' road plan slated (From Gazette Series)

'Disappointing' road plan slated

A COUNTY councillor has this week criticised controversial road developments planned for Berkeley.

Cllr John Cordwell (Lib Dem, Wotton), told the Gazette this week that he believed Gloucestershire County Council's plans to widen the B4066, include a footpath and construct a roundabout at its junction with the A38 were inadequate for the Berkeley area.

He said: "The proposals are nothing like what needs to be done at Berkeley.

"The plan appears to focus heavily on the junction with the A38, which is important, but the road system as a whole needs improving, especially if Sharpness is going to increase and develop.

"It's disappointing and limited."

Last week the Gazette reported on Gloucestershire County Council's proposals for the B4066, the main commuter route from Berkeley, and revealed that initial public reaction was critical of the plans.

At an ongoing public exhibition of the proposals, many Berkeley residents said they would prefer the existing Berkeley by-pass be extended towards the A38 rather than see improvements to the B4066 or Alkington Lane.

John Lindsay, the county council's area traffic manager, defended the plans claiming the council was working with limited funds and was doing the best it could.

However, Cllr Cordwell this week claimed that financial restrictions meant the county council had to focus on road and traffic improvements elsewhere in the county.

He said: "The Berkeley scheme is disappointing. The amount they intend to spend is below the amount they were originally going to spend.

"To cater for transport improvements at Tewkesbury and Uckington in the Local Transport Plan money has had to be cut from other projects."

An exhibition of the improvements for the B4066 is on display in Berkeley Library until tomorrow and residents have until March 20 to make any comments to the county council.