�60k bill for Ottery roundabout
CONFUSED Ottery residents have been left scratching their heads after the Highways Agency carried out works on Daisymount roundabout costing thousands of pounds- without any public consultation. Several people have approached county councillor Roger Giles
CONFUSED Ottery residents have been left scratching their heads after the Highways Agency carried out works on Daisymount roundabout costing thousands of pounds- without any public consultation.
Several people have approached county councillor Roger Giles asking why the works, modifying two junctions, were carried out and how much they cost.
One baffled resident said: "I cannot for the life of me see the logic of the work that is being undertaken. It has been going on for some time and must be costing tens of thousands of pounds.
"I suspect it is the responsibility of the Highways Agency but clearly someone needs to be held to account for this waste of public money.
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"You would not think that we were in one of the worst financial crises to hit this country."
Mr Giles, who wrote to the Highways Agency following the complaints, said:
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"It has been a subject of much local criticism. I don't believe that the Highways Agency has informed people about what it has been doing at Daisymount. You would think a public body spending public money would have done so.
"As a local councillor I felt I had a duty to ascertain the details on behalf of my constituents."
In a written response to Mr Giles, Roger Stribling of the Highways Agency, said the works were carried out to improve the provision of emergency access and egress to and from the motorway trunk road (A30).
He added: "The Highways Agency is concerned about the plight of road users whose vehicle become trapped on the network when one, or both carriageways become totally blocked. This may be as a result of a major incident or adverse weather."
The Daisymount modifications provide an emergency turn around on the dual carriageway so light vehicles can actually be guided to the opposite unblocked exit on the sliproad.
Mr Scribling adds that although the exact cost varies at different junctions, the expenditure for carrying out the works on a single slip road is approximately �30,000.
As two junctions have been modified, Mr Giles said he assumes the expenditure is around �60,000. As the Herald went to print the Highways Agency could not confirm the exact amount spent at Daisymount.
A spokesman said they would not usually consult the public on works of this nature, but would have consulted with Devon County Council.
