4 BUILDING BUST-UP
This road closure ‘is clearly an accident waiting to happen’
Residents in Auldhouse insist the 10-month road closure will make their lives a misery.
People living in the village say the seven-and-a-half mile diversion put in place as part of work relating to a new housing development is ‘a joke”.
There are concerns over the safety of drivers who may use single-track country backroads to avoid it.
And folk fear the extra time it will take for emergency services to reach an incident could lead to tragedy.
South Lanarkshire Council and Taylor Wimpey have been accused of failing to consult with locals before the closure scheme was signed off.
Auldhouse resident Nigel Durno told the News:“Surely there has to be consultation?
“There has been none – no one has been informed, there has been no leafleting. Even the local school seemed to be completely ignorant of the road closure.
“It would appear residents and business owners are being severely disadvantaged for the convenience of big business.”
He continued:“There may be a recommended diversion but locals and folk dropping off kids won’t use it.
“They will use the single-track roads and there will be confrontation, especially if they meet the heavy goods vehicles and agricultural vehicles who use them.
“The current condition of the roads in the area is horrendous as it is and surely they should be improved first and foremost.”
Meanwhile, Pat Patrick said:“The diversion is a single track with passing places that will be shared with enormous wood lorries and milk lorries as well as other people trying to get to work.
“My main concern, though, is this 11 minutes extra that is required to get to Auldhouse.
“This is the minimum on quiet roads and will be increased significantly when the extra traffic has to use the passing places on this road.”
She added:“Should the emergency services be required, this extra time could mean the difference between life and death.
“There is another option to build a temporary road – one that could be incorporated into the ground works for the new estate when the existing road is upgraded.
“On an estate that is worth at least £50 million, is Taylor Wimpey prepared to risk people’s lives and property for the extra cost of a temporary road?”