Special cash funds road improvements (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Special Gloucestershire County Council cash funds road improvements in the Cotswolds

12:05pm Friday 25th January 2013 in News

TRAFFIC surveys, patching roads, and new speed limits are three of the projects headed by Cotswold county councillors to benefit their communities.

Each Gloucestershire County Council member has been given £10,000 to spend on road improvements in their areas.

They have all talked to people in their communities and worked with their local highways manager to develop the schemes.

The funding has been allocated by GCC in a pilot scheme to let individual councillors decide which highways projects to back.

Rather than spending the cash on one large scheme, many Cotswolds councillors are funding a number of smaller projects.

Cllr Ray Theodoulou (Cons, East Cotswolds) distributed the £10,000 pot after discussions with parish councils.

Projects include securing manhole covers on Milton Street, Fairford, and jump-starting Down Ampney’s campaign for a 20mph limit around the village school. Volunteers will be loaned a speed gun and trained in surveying traffic speeds.

Some councillors the option of backing wider schemes by combining their budgets.

Cllrs Peter Braidwood and John Burgess (Cons, Cirencester) pooled their cash to fund a rolling programme of minor improvements in Cirencester. Deteriorating roads will be patched up and drains repositioned to prevent surface water build-up.

Cabinet member for communities Will Windsor-Clive said: “County councillors are our closest link to these communities, so it makes sense for them to be more involved and to tell us where this money should be spent.”

Which road problems do you want to see your councillor tackle? Leave your comments below.