OUTRAGED residents are calling for action after Royal International Air Tattoo traffic and multiple road closures created chaos in several villages and towns.

Nurse Gillian Tertois, who works at Leckhampton Lodge in Cheltenham and has lived in Hannington Wick for six years, says her commute was significantly impacted by the road closures and RIAT traffic.

She described Hannington and Kempsford as 'islands' where residents were 'trapped' with road closures in every direction - ie closures at the Halfpenny Bridge in Lechlade and also in Hannington and Castle Eaton.

Ms Tertois needed to visit patients in Moreton-in-Marsh and Stow-on-the-Wold during the air show last weekend but her usual 45-minute commute took nearly two hours.

Her fury was ignited when she found out that Hannington Lane which had been closed since January was suddenly open for RIAT visitors to use as part of the VIP purple route but not for locals.

The week before RIAT three temporary bridges were suddenly erected to cater for RIAT queues but not residents.

"Kempsford and Hannington are like islands and are very difficult to get out of, a lot of us feel trapped," she said.

"The whole village is up in arms about the situation.

"RIAT is so disruptive to our village every single year.

"The management of the road in Hannington has been dealt with so badly.

"It is crazy to think that nothing has been done to fix it for months but suddenly three bridges were miraculously erected for RIAT.

"It's so frustrating that residents weren't allowed to use the road.

"Getting to work has been an absolute nightmare, there are so many road closures and Google Maps keeps diverting me back and forth."

Disgruntled villagers have been sharing their grievances on the Kempsford Village Facebook page.

Concerns raised included illegal parking on the cycle path from Kempsford to Whelford, ambulances having to turn back and the safety of children forced to walk on the road because plane spotters had parked on pavements.

A public meeting about the situation, which affected people living in Hannington, Kempsford and Lechlade, was held in Lechlade Memorial Hall on Thursday.

It was attended by around 300 residents and chaired by Gloucestershire county councillor Dom Morris (Fairford and Lechlade) who is also cabinet member for highways and flooding.

Hannington Parish Council has since notified residents on Facebook that there is still no date for repairs on Hannington Lane due to extra complications with a gas main on the road.

Daniel Tiffney, GCC local highway manager, said: “Hannington Lane is currently closed after a number of drainage culverts under the road were found to be collapsing.

"The road has been closed to keep everyone safe while we undergo a design and repair of the culverts.

“The organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo requested that the council install temporary access along the road so that the road could be opened for the event to reduce congestion on surrounding roads.

“We licensed RIAT organisers to fund and install temporary bridges on the road.

"Once the event was complete, the bridges were removed, and the council will now work to replace the damage culverts and open the road as quickly as possible.”