Bosses criticised over 'ludicrious' road works

Buy photos » Coun Keith Lloyd says proposals to erect more crossings are ludicrous. 33.010.052.stratdj

TRAFFIC bosses are being accused of bringing chaos to the town at one of the busiest times of the year with 'ludicrous' roadworks.

Warwickshire County Council began £500,000 works on the Birmingham Road, including new traffic lights and crossings, on Tuesday (January 3) - just as people returned to work and shoppers hit the January sales. Disruption is set to continue for four months until the work is completed in May.

The scheme, required for the new Aldi store and Barratt Homes development to go ahead, has proved unpopular with some - particularly as a county council study on how best to ease traffic on the busy road is still on-going.

Liberal Democrat county councillor, Peter Balaam, has called on the county council to look at ways of speeding the works up.

He said: "I'm extremely unhappy the Birmingham Road faces 16 weeks of extra traffic congestion and disruption.

"It's bad for residents, businesses and the town. I have challenged the county council to look again at the timetable and they have agreed to meet me to go through the plans.

"The contractors need to understand the Birmingham Road is a totally different case from most other roads because of the unparallelled levels of congestion."

And district councillor, Keith Lloyd, said he was shocked and angered at the decision to go ahead.

He said: "I find it ludicrous the county council have come to this appalling decision knowing the traffic study is being organised by themselves.

"To me and I am sure to many residents, it just does not make sense and in my view totally ridiculous to install these further lights.

"The council, without knowing, are doing a very good job in forcing residents and visitors elsewhere."

The work involves widening the Birmingham Road and Hamlet Way to allow for new traffic lights at the junction.

They are aimed at helping vehicles turn into and out of Hamlet Way and will incorporate pedestrian and cycling facilities.

The council's transport chief, Peter Butlin, insisted the changes would help not hinder visitors and residents in the long term.

He said: "The planned development of the site includes both residential and retail premises which will provide future accommodation and employment opportunities for the residents of Stratford, further improving the economic prosperity of the town."