County Councillor Warns about Transport

3.48.34pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 10th Oct 2006

Vale Lib Dems have frequently expressed concerns about the approach of the County Council to transport infrastructure in the relatively isolated Wantage and Grove area. The decision to abandon local consultation through the Wantage and Grove Area Strategic Transport Strategy (WaGASTS) will not help the current situation, in particular as the result of the unplanned new housing planned for Grove.

Wantage Town, District and County Councillor Jim Moley said: "I have repeatedly voiced my concerns about the transport implications of new developments planned for Wantage and Grove. Denchworth Road and Harcourt Road in Wantage are already overloaded in the rush hour and will be gridlocked in the absence of a new eastward route. The situation with the main exit roads like the A417 towards Didcot are even more difficult in the rush hour, with villagers queuing endlessly to gain access to this main route. Similarly,the A338 north to Oxford has bottlenecks at Hanney, Marcham and Frilford Heath.

"At a recent Vale Council meeting, I questioned an official from the Department of Transport about the Government's plans for improved access to the A34 and the narrow country roads leading to Grove and Wantage,in the context of the Government's policy for massive new housing development in the South East. The response was nothing!

"There is also the continuing problem of Grove Railway Station not re-opening as a result of Government policy. At least the County Council has drawn up plans for its reopening but until Government policy changes, trains will not be stopping near here any time soon.

"The communities of Grove and Wantage are comparatively isolated with poor public transport and transport infrastructure. With the threatened closure of our community hospital the situation is becoming a crisis."