I WOULD like to reiterate my objection (shared by eight of my close neighbours) to the current proposals for opening the bus gate in North Home Road.

As stated before, our objections are based on the safety of residents who would be forced on to a shared surface road with buses and an unquantified number of allowed vehicles, also the safety of drivers finding vehicles crossing their path on a dangerous, restricted-vision corner. I have written to Gloucestershire County Council Highways responding to their planning notice on ‘allowed’ vehicles, somehow they ‘never received’ this letter and therefore passed that planning ‘without objection’.

There have been many letters, documents and a petition which was signed by more than 500 persons who have to use the dangerous road junction adjoining the bus gate access. We all recognise the inherent dangers of mixing vehicles turning across a vision-restricted sharp bend with commuter and school traffic who should have right of way at the junction. The turning traffic will be obstructing the road before they have vision of traffic who have a right of way. We are afraid it will be accidents waiting to happen.

We remain to be convinced that any of the safety audits that have taken place, with a continual change of focus, can alleviate the fears for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, mothers with prams, etc, using the shared access. Indeed, there have been several conflicting statements about priorities and action if a vehicle enters the shared-access road when a person is already on the road. There are no refuges where a person can move off the road, so what happens to the person pushing a pram?

I understand the latest document suggests a speed limit of 30mph, where the bus operators suggest 10mph in similar circumstances!

We do feel that we have been ignored so that mistakes made by GCC Highways (for example the disastrous planning of the new Kingsmeadow Roundabout) can be alleviated.

ROGER SWEETING

Cirencester