A COUNCILLOR from Charfield has blamed two tragedies that have taken place on the M5 motorway this week on the strains of increased housing faced by South Gloucestershire.

Earlier today, a lorry on the southbound carriageway of the M5 crashed into the central reservation and onto the northbound side, hitting at least two cars, with four dead and more in hospital.

On Thursday, a 27-year-old man was also killed by a lorry on the stretch after leaving his car on the hard shoulder.

Following the tragic events today, Cllr Mark Rosher, chairman of Charfield Parish Council, posted a message on Twitter, criticising South Gloucestershire Council and the West of England Combined Authority for existing housing plans, citing them as a cause of the two fatal accidents.

Gazette Series:

In the tweet, which included the message as an attached image, he said: “We need a joined up Plan, not just more houses, more traffic and more fatalities.”

The message itself said: “There is a terrible personal tragedy going on out on the M5 at the moment. So many people’s lives traumatised and changed in another split second motorway accident. But I’m going to say the unsayable.

“In the past week South Gloucestershire has been effectively sealed off twice, first through a dreadful pedestrian fatality that shut the motorway (and overloaded the adjacent A38) for more than six hours and tonight a (at least) four person fatality that’s doing the day.

“And the West of England Combined Authority and South Gloucestershire Council think they can increase housing and consequent vehicle traffic in this area?

“I’m so sorry for the families affected by these terrible events, but can we improve the infrastructure BEFORE we add to its load? Nobody ought to be dying for a new house.”