Transport Strategy Consultation Is A Dog's Breakfast

12.05.00pm GMT Tue 9th Mar 2010

Richard Burt has responded to the County Council's Worcester Transport Strategy consultation by saying the process is "deeply flawed" and a "dog's breakfast".

He has lodged a series of questions under the Freedom of Information Act to find out how much the County Council has spent on the Transport Strategy consultation and the Halcrow study on the North-West Link Road.

"I want to find out just how much taxpayer's money the County Council has already spent on this road to nowhere," said Richard.

"It's completely unacceptable to start the consultation looking at dualling the Southern Link Road and then publish plans for a North-West Link Road half way through.

"It smacks of incompetence and frankly, I wonder if leading Conservative councillors really know what they are doing.

"Cllr Derek Prodger is responsible for the strategy and he is on record saying he approves of plans to partially complete the North-West Ring Road to Crown East Roundabout.

"However, this is dependent on a JS Bloor planning application to build 4,000 new houses in the vicinity. Most residents I have spoken to view this application as an act of environmental and community vandalism.

"If completing the link road to Claines is "mission impossible", then why commission the study? If Cllr Prodger doesn't want to spoil that part of the county, then why should he want to spoil Broadheath and Hallow?"

Richard said he has written supporting plans for the expansion of bus and rail transport.