A Stroud community is appealing for work on its road closure to be speeded up so residents won’t have to spend Christmas navigating treacherous diversions just to make basic car journeys. About ninety residents of Butterrow Lane in Rodborough have been enduring the road closure since November 4th due to subsidence, writes Claire Penketh.
Whilst appreciating that the remedial work needs to be done, the snail’s pace of progress so far has caused many residents to despair that it won’t be completed on time.
Residents must park their cars on Butterrow Hill, which is a steep ten-minute walk up a narrow muddy path, or there’s a gentler but longer detour up another nearby path. Although Butterrow Hill is officially closed, non-resident drivers have been ignoring the signs and blasting through, making it hazardous for people trying to get to their cars, especially in the dark. This has been particularly upsetting for elderly people and families with small children.
Long-term resident Claire Penketh said: “We’ve had enough. I’m watching elderly people struggling past my house as they head for their cars parked on the hill, hearing from mothers terrified as they navigate to their vehicles with small children.
“Every time you go on a weekly shop, it’s an expedition. We need more workers drafted in, and faster progress to finish this on time, if not sooner, as it’s making our usually cheerful community pretty miserable.”
The work was scheduled for seven weeks and should finish on December 23rd. However, residents are concerned that disruptions caused by recent storms and a lack of manpower means it might go beyond Christmas. They have written to Gloucestershire Highways at the County Council seeking clarification.
Only two men are currently working on the site. In the resident’s WhatsApp group, one person said: “There is so little progress going on – mostly it’s one worker with a manager in a van. The worker is absolutely doing his best, but he’s on his own – it’s so dispiriting.” Another said: “This is madness – they need to send more people to get it done.”
If residents want to park outside their homes, the diversion is several miles down a twisting single track with few passing places. Most residents view this as a daunting journey. Plus, the route has sometimes been blocked by fallen trees due to recent storms. In addition, like large swathes of the country, power cuts have added to the misery of residents, who can’t make a sharp exit to buy candles or go to friends who have electricity.
However, the residents are doing their best to remain upbeat and have organised a carol service on the road on Thursday, December 19th.
A Gloucestershire County Council spokesperson said: “We would like to apologise to residents for any inconvenience these works have caused. The repairs will be completed on Friday 20 December, when Butterow Lane and Butterow Hill will reopen. This particular wall has required a highly specialised repair and our engineers have made every effort to ensure the structure is repaired properly.
“We have worked closely with residents when arranging the works to mitigate any possible disruption, and have done everything we can to ensure this essential repair is completed as quickly as possible. We would also like to remind motorists not to ignore road closure signs, as this puts yourself and others at risk.”
