Baldwin slams Worcestershire's "pie-in-the-sky" transportation consultation
1st February 2010
Harriett Baldwin this week slammed the current Transportation Strategy for Worcestershire County Council for creating unnecessary uncertainty for the communities which would be affected by the North West Link Road.
Worcestershire County Council are currently undertaking a public consultation on various Park and Ride sites, some improvements to the Southern Link Road, bus corridors and better cycle paths, costing just under £50million and planned for the period to 2016. There will be an exhibition in Hallow Village Hall on February 4th to which everyone concerned is urged to come.
In addition, there is also prominent mention of a North West Link Road, despite the fact that there is no money available. In addition the map provided by Worcestershire County Council shows no route for the North West Link Road.
Harriett Baldwin said, “I do not think the issue of the North West Link Road has been well handled in this consultation. It is well know that both Mike Foster MP and some County Councillors favour a North West Link Road. However, there is no money to dual the Southern Link Road, let alone construct a North West Link Road. How can you put the concept out to consultation when there is no money and no route?
There will be people in favour and some against in the area affected, but a consultation like this simply alarms the communities that would be most affected by this road and creates uncertainty and blight to homes for no reason.
The County Council have commissioned an ecology study for the North West Link Road. Why spend money on this now? Any study will be invalid in no time as the ecology changes. A map is circulating of possible routes. This has quite rightly led to even more local concern. Will the County Council please be clear – if you have the money and a preferred route to build a North West Link Road, please consult on it. Otherwise, please stop wasting money on ecological studies and consulting on pie in the sky.”
| Click here to see map circulating in Hallow showing the ecological survey zone.
