RESIDENTS opposed to a new bus route through their estate say they have been let down by their county councillor.

A petition against the new route, which would see buses going through the Beeches Estate in Cirencester on the journey between the town centre and the Kingshill Meadow housing development, was signed by over 500 people in the Beeches ward.

Beeches residents are concerned about road safety, particularly at the narrow bus gate access route connecting North Home Road to Kingshill Meadow.

Mike Jupp, who lives next to the bus gate on North Home Road, said Beeches ward county councillor Nigel Robbins has stabbed residents in the back.

He said Councillor Robbins had initially supported the campaign but contacted him recently to say he had changed his mind.

Mr Jupp said: “He does not live in the ward and therefore it appears his decision to do so was purely political to increase the Lib Dem presence in the area.”

Cllr Robbins maintains he never said he supported the campaign and that Mike Jupp is one of the few people who does not want the bus route.

He said that after speaking to Mr Jupp and considering his complaints he had spoken to officials at the county council and was satisfied that road safety was not an issue.

“Once I had fully investigated the issue it was clear that the decision on the bus gate was not going to be reversed,” he said.

He said that he had tried to reassure Mr Jupp that the council would be looking at safety and only buses and taxis would be allowed to use the bus gate.

Cllr Robbins said the route was being introduced for the benefit of residents of the Mulberry Court elderly housing complex at Kingshill Meadow and Mr Jupp had not considered those people.