A RESIDENTS meeting held in Berkeley to discuss concerns about roads in the area resulted in the formation of a committee to “make the powers that be take notice”.

An influx of development proposals on the Severn side of Berkeley prompted Pam Hillier, of Berkeley Heath, to rally people in the area together to find a solution to the problem of strain on the town’s roads.

This is the latest in a series of steps taken by Mrs Hillier, who has campaigned for years to see the unfinished Berkeley bypass completed.

The meeting was held at the barn in Cattle Country, Berkeley, and was chaired by the attraction’s owner Tony Cullimore.

Mrs Hiller kicked off the meeting by announcing her intention to complete a petition and form a committee to get something done about roads in the area in light of the new developments.

Developments affecting Berkeley include the approved training centre and university technical college by South Gloucestershire and Stroud College and the proposed 300-home Sharpness Docks development.

“As a community I think we just have to let them know and try and make the powers that be take notice,” said Mrs Hillier.

“We don’t want them to waste the money so we need to come up with a suitable suggestion to resolve the problem.”

At the beginning of the meeting, attended by more than 50 residents, Mrs Hillier asked those present to raise their hands if they felt the roads were fine in their current condition. Nobody raised their hand.

The next question asked of the audience was whether they felt the completion of the bypass was the best solution to the problem. The majority raised their hands, though concerns were raised about the impact such a job would have on local farmland.

Many called for lobbying of the deciding authorities in the form of a committee created by the group.

Cllr Heather Priestly, of Hamfallow Parish Council, said: “I think you need to lobby the MP and hold a meeting with people from Gloucestershire County Council.

“The new developments will see an enormous increase in the amount of traffic and the roads are completely unacceptable as they are now.”

The meeting ended with the formation of a committee, with several people putting themselves forward to push for meetings with the appropriate authorities.

Currently Both Alkington Lane and the B4066 carry an equal amount of the traffic and both are used by HGVs, to connect between the A38 and the bypass to Sharpness - with accidents a regular occurrence.

Gloucestershire County Council has to date offered a range of widely rejected solutions to the problem.

Work began on the Berkeley Bypass more than 30 years ago but the road was never completed.