'Designed to fail' - anger as area will miss out on Eastern Gateway fines - The Redditch Standard

'Designed to fail' - anger as area will miss out on Eastern Gateway fines

Redditch Editorial 21st Jul, 2019   0

“THEY’VE as good as admitted that their routing strategy will not work” – that was the verdict of Councillor Paul Beaman following last week’s Steering Group meeting on the Redditch Eastern Gateway.

It came after members heard from developer Stofords that money from fines imposed on drivers breaking the rules won’t go to the local communities they pass through but to maintain the very cameras that caught them.

“They said that fines will be used to finance the maintenance of the cameras; well if that’s the case they’re as good as admitting the routing strategy will not work,” said Coun Beaman, who sits on Studley parish council.

The routing strategy in question would bypass Mappleborough Green and part of Studley and send the bulk of the HGVs north on the A435 to Junction 3 of the M42, or through Redditch out to Junction 2 of the M42, or on a torturous route or to Rough Hill Drive and from there down the A448 to rejoin the A435 at Spernall Ash.




“It’s only right and proper that the money should be distributed to the communities affected by the lorries,” added Coun Beaman.

Campaigners on the Steering group, chaired by Dr Ken Pollock, of Worcestershire County Council, and made up of planners and developers and local representatives and residents, including Winyates Green, did have one success, getting a fourth ANPR camera sited by the Washford Mill.


Local campaigner Maureen Berry, chair of Mappleborough Green School’s board of governors said: “When they mentioned about the camera they asked ‘are you happy now?’

“How can I be happy with this unnecessary monstrosity being built on our doorstep?

“But I’m not losing heart, just getting frustrated because it’s all down to money, and Redditch is going to get none of the money and an awful lot of the traffic.”

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