THE CAMPAIGN group vying to limit the environmental impacts of Bromsgrove’s A38 enhancement scheme fear their concerns may continue to fall on deaf ears despite an opportunity for regular meetings with the county’s highways and transport chief.
Last Thursday (August 8) members of the Revise BREP campaign met with Worcestershire County Council highways and transport boss Marc Bayliss and Bromsgrove MP Bradley Thomas to air their concerns surrounding the scheme.
The £50 million programme aims to improve traffic flow on the A38 via road widening and junction improvements with the M5 and others. Cycling and pedestrian provision is also included in the plans.
Revise BREP have branded the scheme a ‘white elephant’ which will fail to ease congestion and has already led to extensive environmental impacts through tree felling.
Jonathan Coleman, a campaign member who attended the meeting, told the Standard: “We as a group are not opposed to improving the A38 and transport infrastructure, however we need to address the large scale environmental impacts.
“The concern is we feel even with the commitment to have ongoing meetings, it’s going to be a lip service without the council taking any real concerns or considering alternatives or revisions. However, we’re hopeful now we have the dialogue.”
Following the meeting, councillor Marc Bayliss said the county council ‘remains open to ideas and suggestions’ on how to make the scheme ‘even better’.
Jonathan added: “The overall meeting felt a bit negative, even though we raised points there wasn’t much movement or headway shall we say.
“Having said that we have a better understanding of the plans, why they’re being put in and the aims of the project.”
As their campaign continues, Revise BREP urge Bromsgrove residents to contact their local councillors to raise comments and concerns about the scheme, if they have any.
Bradley Thomas MP said: “Although this is a county council-led scheme, as your MP, my role is to ensure residents’ voices are heard in the spirit of making Bromsgrove an even better place to live, work and visit.”
Visit bromsgrovestandard.co.uk to read our extensive reporting on the A38 scheme and Revise BREP’s campaign.
