Tuesday 17th January 2012

U-TURN NEEDED ON BYPASS DECISION

Failure to fund a bypass will mean traffic chaos for drivers, noise and pollution hell for residents as well as endangering the lives of children going to school each day. None of these issues have been addressed in the infrastructure plans of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) who both seem intent on building as many houses as possible for the least amount of cost, say Arborfield Garrison Residents Action Group (AGRAG). Considering the Councils traffic modelling data showed that even if a bypass and all the other traffic improvements are made they will still not achieve nil detriment, then the idea that the MoD's modelling shows only changes to the roundabout are needed is nothing more than bizarre! It defies common sense that a small link road between the A327 and Nine Mile Ride and changes to an existing roundabout are all that is needed to cope with the huge increase in traffic that will result from a new 3,500 mini town bringing an extra 7000 car movements a day, a large supermarket, a secondary school, an expansion of Hogwood Industrial Estate, three primary schools and other community facilities. The MoD is only interested in building the most houses for the least financial outlay, and saying we should believe their un-published modelling data which apparently shows large-scale road improvements are unnecessary when Wokingham Borough Councils published reports shows otherwise is laughable! This irresponsible approach from a Government department is extremely worrying at a time when politicians are pushing through changes to relax planning laws. AG RAG believe that Planning officers and Councillors, who have publicly stated on several occasions that applications will not be approved unless developers can show nil detriment in journey times for Wokingham residents, should honour this commitment. If a government department is not prepared to fulfil its responsibility to the local community by providing the right amount of road infrastructure needed for this size of development then what developer will? The Government must lead the way. AG RAG urges residents to write or email John Redwood MP expressing their horror at the MoDs stance.

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