Protestors Gather to Oppose Missing Link (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Protestors Gather to Oppose Missing Link

DOZENS of placard waving protestors united to show their anger over a controversial new road scheme planned for the Cotswolds 'missing link'.

About 60 campaigners gathered on Monday near the Air Balloon roundabout at Birdlip Hill, on the A417.

They were protesting against the Highways Agency (HA) proposal to create a five-lane 180 degree loop 'superhighway' bypassing a three-mile stretch of the A417 between Nettleton Bottom and the Air Balloon roundabout.

The length of road is notorious for accidents and the roundabout for being a rush hour bottleneck.

The campaigners included representatives from Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth, Transport 2000, the Missing Link Action Group, The Ramblers Association and local residents' groups, including Brimpsfield and Birdlip Parish Council.

The Missing Link Action Group wants the scheme rejected, preferring a 2.8km tunnel from Nettleton Bottom to the foot of Crickley Hill.

Though this option is favoured by Cotswold District Council the HA said is would be too expensive.

Group member Bob Dyke said: "We think that it's difficult to understand what the Highways Agency are hoping to solve by this proposal.

"They may ease the congestion but at what cost?"

The group has also asked people to register their opposition to the scheme by filling in one of the 2,000 postcards it has issued and sending it to Transport Minister Alistair Darling before he considers the scheme next month.

Mr Dyke added: "We want to make the noise now so the Government make the right decision."

Protestors are also unhappy that the new road would devastate a large part of the Cotswold's area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) and run close to scheduled ancient monuments.

Clive Perkins, from Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth, said: "Our message is that we don't want to see an increase in traffic on this road.

"We can't see the level of road spending they are talking about is warranted.

"This is just the wrong place for a major motorway standard road.

"We think there's a lot more you can do with low level traffic calming and management."

Christine Shine, from Transport 2000 said the campaign group would prefer a 50mph speed restriction from the M5 near Gloucester along the A417 and A419 to the M4 near Swindon.

She said: "The purpose of this protest today is to tell the minister that there's no way we will allow a road building scheme of these dimensions in the AONB."

Gloucestershire County Council was due to discuss the proposals at a full council meeting yesterday. (Wednesday).

* To see plans explaining the proposed missing link superhighway click on the features link on the left hand side.