In conjunction with the Air Balloon ‘Missing Link’ project, Highways England (HE) have finally agreed that noise mitigation on the concrete section of the road – which affects many people – will be taken into consideration as part of the overall scheme. There will be a public consultation in September/October and the aim of the group is to get as many individuals affected as well as parish councils and other groups and organisations to make representations via this consultation and to get HE to actually provide some sort of noise mitigation. This could be re-surfacing but might also be a speed limit, barriers, tree planting or a combination of all sorts of methods.
The Missing Link
construction is due to begin in 2021 and be completed in 2024 and if, as
predicted, there is a large increase in the volume of traffic (reports say up
to 50% increase), there will undoubtedly be an increase in the volume of noise
from the road.
So I would encourage
residents who are affected to participate in the consultation and the NAG group
will be advising on that shortly once we know the exact format of the
consultation.
An action group from along the A419/A417 has welcomed a commitment from roads bosses to sort out excess noise from the dual carriageway.
The issue
of noise from the road has been rumbling on for residents since it was first
built in 1998. Various attempts to reduce the sound have been made over the
years and the action group, A419NAG (Noise Action Group), was formed in 2012.
It has been lobbying on behalf of residents all along the notorious road.
Now, the
group is taking heart from the results of a consultation into the big project
to solve the ‘Missing Link’ at Birdlip.
At a councillor briefing in Gloucester recently Highways England, who
are responsible for the dual carriageway between Swindon and the M5, presented
the results of their consultation into solving the gridlock at the Air Balloon.
2000 responses were received
and people said they were concerned
about noise pollution further down the A417/419 both north and south of
Cirencester and stretching into Wiltshire.
Cllr Paul
Hodgkinson (GCC, Bourton & Northleach) chairs the A419NAG: “I asked project bosses about this and they said they would be working
with their colleagues to find ways to cut the noise levels.
“We
absolutely back the Missing Link project but we also need to make sure people
living up and down the dual carriageway don’t keep suffering from excessive
road noise from the concrete sections which were built 20 years ago. With projected
traffic to increase on the A417 by 50% by the mid 2020’s residents need
reassurance that this will be dealt with.”
Janet Sharpe is a member of the lobby group from
Latton: “It’s good
news that noise pollution is on the radar at last and that is thanks to constant
lobbying. Concrete roads aren’t built anymore because they are just too noisy
for residents living by them. We represent communities up and down the A419 and
want the noise cut. It’s a reasonable request and one which Highways England
can sort out at the same time as getting traffic moving at Birdlip.”
An action group has published the findings of a new survey which show that thousands of people are fed up with noise from the area’s busiest road.
Members of the A419 Noise Action Group
The issue
of noise from the A417/419 has been a running sore for residents since it was
first built in 1998. Various attempts to reduce the sound from the concrete
sections of the highway have been made over the years. The action group,
calling themselves A419NAG, was formed in 2012 and has done a new survey of
parish councils all along the infamous road.
The group
asked community representatives who live near the busy road about whether the
noise affects their villages and towns. 10 parishes say they are directly impacted
by it. These include South Cerney and Ampney Crucis plus villages to the north
of Cirencester like Baunton and Bagendon.
Wiltshire
has also responded – with Cricklade and Latton both saying they’re in the
firing line of noise pollution.
Highways England
will be consulting the public this summer about their plan to solve the
notorious ‘Missing Link’ problems at Birdlip. Last year, they acknowledged that
noise is something that must be looked at as part of the project. Traffic
levels are predicted to increase substantially once the new road is built.
Cllr Paul
Hodgkinson (GCC, Bourton & Northleach) chairs the group and says that 15 parishes
have also committed to writing to Highways England bosses this summer to make
sure that noise pollution is dealt with as part of the Missing Link solution:
“We totally
support the need for the Missing Link to be sorted out and are now delighted
that so many parishes back our plea to get the noise reduced for the many
thousands of people who live along the dual carriageway. Highways England have
a golden opportunity to introduce noise mitigation measures whilst they build
the new road at Birdlip.”
Lisa Spivey is on the action group and
lives in Preston. She has been battling against the noisy road since moving
into the area:
“This is our first bit of contact with
local communities for a while and we wanted to test the water. Now we have been
given a mandate by councils representing 13,000 people.
“This is about righting a wrong – since the completion of the dual carriageway,
people living along this section of the road have suffered excessive noise
pollution. We now call on the authorities to take the action they should have
taken years ago.”
