KEETCH BROKERS DEAL BETWEEN TRADERS AND HIGHWAYS AGENCY IN WAR OVER ROUNDABOUT

11.00.00am GMT Fri 4th Aug 2006

Hereford's MP, Paul Keetch, held a meeting recently with the Highways Agency [HA], Herefordshire Council and local traders adjacent to the Belmont Roundabout to discuss the ongoing road works in the immediate vicinity.

Paul Keetch said that he was astonished at the lack of communication with local traders over the road works.

"I was contacted by traders last week about the road works and was pleased to be able to set up a meeting so soon," said Mr Keetch.

"I was astonished that neither the Highways Agency who has responsibility for the A49 and the Belmont roundabout, nor Herefordshire Council, who has responsibility for St Martins Street, has met with the traders to discuss the road works. Why is it that two organisations who employ hundreds of people couldn't communicate with just a handful of traders? I and my office, of just four people, were able to organise a meeting within one week! Why hadn't it happened before?

"Traders had been complaining for weeks to Herefordshire Council about the situation, and yesterday the Councillor in charge of Highways turned up to the meeting and admitted he didn't know that the junction was supposed to be re-opened for the Three Choirs Festival over the next week - I am totally astonished by the lack of communication at all levels.

"I am glad therefore that I was able to establish some lines of communication. The Highways Agency has promised me they will take advice from local traders and produce new signage to show that St Martins Street is open for business, the council has promised to look into why the road works have taken so much time.

"Whilst the Council is not responsible for these road works one does have to wonder why they initiated other transport projects in the city when they knew that the ASDA development would cause congestion at the city's busiest junction. Why choose now, during the Three Choirs Festival, at the height of the tourist season, to dig up High Town and High Street, close the Victoria Bridge and keep Widemarsh Street shut when they knew the city would be affected by the Belmont road works. No wonder local traders ask me whose side the Council is on."