P Board wonders why pay for report and then ignore it?

Once again this report identifies that the preferred western relief road option as identified by the Amey studies is still the preferred option.

The report also takes into account an independent consultation response written by a range of local people, aimed at putting the road east with no link across the Lugg meadows, the report identifies this as the eastern corridor by stealth as at some point it would lead to the final stretch of road being installed across the Lugg meadows.

It also identifies the vast number of rat runs that would be generated on mainly B and C roads east of the city such as through Lugwardine and Hagley, Cotts Lane and Lumber Lane. Other problems identified are that the A49 could not be de-trunked so any sustainable traffic measures on this road could not be implemented. There would also be a detrimental impact through the forcing of traffic into the Lugwardine Conservation Area and across the grade II-listed Lugwardine Bridge which is also a scheduled monument.

The report states: “The work undertaken by Amey is logical and appropriate and we concur with their conclusion that the Western inner route has the least impacts and is preferred on environmental grounds.”

A recent article in the Hereford Times also stated that local business leaders when quizzed identified the preferred option was west.

How many more thousands and thousands of pounds do we need to spend on studies suggesting that the road should go east or west if we are to ignore the studies as they do not tell us what we want to hear?

A referendum should ask one question: “Do you think Hereford should have a relief road?” If the majority answer “yes” then it goes west. If the majority answer is “no”

then let us all shut up about the traffic chaos, delays, inadequate park-and-rides, lack of cycleways and pollution etc and not waste any more of our hard-earned money on very expensive consultants and reports that are ignored.

R BOARD,

Braemar Gardens, Hereford.