AN ACTION group formed to represent residents living next to the B4066 and Alkington Lane in Berkeley has been left frustrated by the refusal of Gloucestershire County Council’s highways team to meet them.

Berkeley Triangle Action Group (BTAG) have expressed a desire to meet with the council to discuss the effect new developments will have on roads in and out of the town.

It was formed in March this year following a public meeting called in response to the large number of major development schemes in Berkeley and Sharpness and their effect on local roads.

Members of the group have met with their MP, Neil Carmichael, to discuss the problem but attempts to arrange to meet with representatives from the council have failed.

Mike Hill, a spokesman for the group, said that “the enormous increase in traffic” the new developments will create will have a big impact on Berkeley Heath Road and Alkington Lane but that the council’s highways department had failed to recognise this.

“The public meeting showed how strong peoples’ feelings really are,” he said. “None of the recent planning applications take into account the enormous increase in traffic that will result, and the Berkeley Heath Road and Alkington Lane will bear the brunt of this as these are the main routes in and out of Berkeley and Sharpness.

“Gloucestershire Highways don’t seem to think that building houses will generate more traffic, or erecting a vast 500,000 square foot distribution warehouse in Sharpness will have any effect on the highway network.

“We having been trying to meet Gloucestershire Highways since March but all they give us are excuses. How can we understand their strategy for the area if they won’t talk to us?”

When approached by the Gazette the council’s highways manager, Jason Humm, said “The decision to approve or refuse new residential developments in Berkeley is made by Stroud District Council. They’re also responsible for agreeing the impact that the development may have on the wider area.

“As the local highway authority, the county council can only make recommendations for the district council to consider.

“Should any significant applications be submitted for the Berkeley area then the county council will comment on them.

“We have agreed to meet the Berkeley Triangle Action Group by the end of September.”

However no meeting has been arranged with BTAG according to Mr Hill. He said: “They have certainly expressed a desire to meet with us by the end of September, but there is no arrangement and without a firm date it is meaningless!

“We are very keen to meet them but this does epitomise the problem we have faced – not a lot of talk but even less action!