Gardens under threat by £12m bid to widen road

He said the situation had been handled “equitably and fairly.”

Denise Fahmy, who will lose her front garden to two lanes of traffic, said she was “heartbroken” at the council’s decision, which she said was “a disaster” for her family.

She claims she was given just an hour’s notice of the meeting and criticised councillors and staff for failing to respond to letters and emails.

“I rushed from work to the town hall. Along with my neighbour and my husband, I sat through a long discussion about whether goldfish should be prizes at funfairs.

“It was clear to me by the end of the meeting that councillors appear to be more concerned about the quality of life of goldfish than residents.

“This crazy proposal, which will reduce average journey times by just two minutes, will cost £12.9 million.

“The council claims widening the Blacker Lane junction, just one element of the scheme, will increase traffic flow and reduce pollution.

“I say to councillors: come to the junction any evening at five o’clock. Meet us there and see how widening the junction will simply push the traffic a few hundred metres up the road where single-lane traffic will remain through the conservation area.

“Destroying our gardens to increase traffic flow through the junction will actually just increase traffic volume and worsen bottlenecks on Halifax Road.”