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‘Tour of Britain may be coming to the Cotswolds but potholes make …

The Tour of Britain may be coming to Gloucestershire[1] in September but many of the county’s roads are dangerous for cyclists due to their atrocious condition, according to Cotswolds councillors. Residents say they are seriously worried about how bad roads, which are already in a really poor state, will get over the coming autumn and winter.

And people living in Chedworth are calling on Gloucestershire County Council[2] to fix the numerous roads in and around their village. Without prompt repair will lead to an increasing number of problems in terms of car damage, pedestrian accidents, they say.

And County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson (LD, Bourton-on-the-Water and Northleach) says it’s ironic to have the Tour of Britain[3] coming to the county when so many of the roads which are used by everyday cyclists are in a dreadful state. The villagers say that complacency about this situation is not acceptable[4].

Colin Peirce who lives in Chedworth persuaded the parish council last night (August 15) to write to county council leader Mark Hawthorne (C, Quedgeley) and highways cabinet member Dom Morris (C, Fairford and Lechlade-on-Thames) asking that the roads are properly repaired.

“We pay over £30 billion in car tax and fuel duty and nothing like that is ringfenced for the maintenance of the roads. In Chedworth we have some appalling road conditions which have been allowed to get worse.

“The parish council has to stand up for us and insist that these roads are resurfaced, they need total repair. We’ve got cyclists and pedestrains injuring themselves and damage to cars.

“I call it road rage. It’s a form of road rage unless people realise how bad the situation is it’s only going to get worse. We are supposed to be an area of outstanding natural beauty and tourists who come here must think it’s a third-world country.”

Resident Colin Peirce says tourists who visit the Cotswolds must think they are in a third world country when they see the state of the roads
Resident Colin Peirce says tourists who visit the Cotswolds must think they are in a third world country when they see the state of the roads

Cllr Hodgkinson[6] said: “With the Tour of Britain coming through the Cotswolds soon, it’s ironic that some other roads not being used by the bikes are in a dreadful state.

“Cyclists would be seriously at risk if they used them. Roads like the Whiteway between North Cerney and Chedworth are appalling and have been so for ages. Despite a commitment to sort some of this road out, these highways are an embarrassment to us all when tourists experiencing the beauty of the Cotswolds[7] must wonder what on earth has gone wrong locally.”

Gloucestershire County Council has been approached for comment.

The Tour of Britain is due to come to Gloucestershire on Saturday September 9. Road closures will be in place across Gloucestershire when stage seven races through the county beginning in the shadow of Tewkesbury Abbey, in Church Street in the medieval market town, and head east into the Cotswolds[8] before heading south.

References

  1. ^ Tour of Britain may be coming to Gloucestershire (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
  2. ^ Gloucestershire County Council (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
  3. ^ Tour of Britain (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
  4. ^ complacency about this situation is not acceptable (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
  5. ^ Cotswolds MP slams council for ‘turning back on tourism industry’ as Tories call for U-turn on visitor centre funding cuts (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
  6. ^ Hodgkinson (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
  7. ^ Cotswolds (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)
  8. ^ Cotswolds (www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk)

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