PLANS to divert lorries away from a busy Herefordshire road have been met with anger from a local villager.

Joyce Brand - mother of feisty comedian Jo Brand - is upset that maintenance on a northbound stretch of the A49 adjacent to Berrington Hall, near Leominster, will result in heavy goods vehicles being re-directed through her village of Leintwardine for eight weeks starting on June 21.

Southbound traffic will continue to use the A49 although a temporary speed limit of 40mph will be in place.

The proposed diversions take light vehicles from Leominster along the B4361 and B4362 before rejoining the A49 at Woofferton, south of Ludlow.

Heavier vehicles, however, will be directed west along the A44 and on to the A4110 which will take them through the villages of Aymestrey, Wigmore, and Adforton, as well as Leintwardine. They will then join the A4113 and return to the A49 at Bromfield.

Mrs Brand said: "The way they are proposing these HGVs go is totally wrong, there are sections of the road which are so narrow that they are difficult for ordinary cars to negotiate, and there are a number of old bridges, such as the one at Adforton, that surely need to be tested for strength as they usually only get a small amount of village traffic.

"What makes it worse is that the alternative route was rejected largely on the grounds that there is a primary school there," she added.

"This argument simply does not hold up as there is a school in each of the villages that their chosen route passes through."

Fillippa Staubin D'ancey, Highways Agency spokesperson, said: "Discussions with Hereford-shire Council were held where the various diversion routes were agreed, taking into account local conditions and suitability of the route.

"The B4361 through Luston was not considered suitable for HGV traffic and a separate route was agreed."

Councillor Brian Wilcox, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: "This work will make this section of the A49 much safer but as it is a busy stretch of road we wanted to reduce any traffic delays.

"We have been able to come up with a scheme that will improve safety and I ask motorists to follow the signposted diversions while the works are being carried out."