Puzzled over road detour (From Stroud News and Journal)

Puzzled over road detour

DRIVERS are being advised to take 20 mile detour when a short stretch of a Stroud street closes for roadworks this month.

The county council detour to avoid a stretch of Slad Road less than a mile long will send motorists via Birdlip when they could simply take a short cut along Summer Street or through Wick Street.

The advice has left residents and drivers familiar with local highways and byways bemused.

One said: "I wouldn't want to do it to go down to Stroud everyday. It's going to affect loads of people, everybody who lives up there."

Slad Road, or the B4070, is to close between Gloucester Street and Peghouse Rise for resurfacing from Monday, March 14 and Friday, March 18.

Defending the advice, a county council spokesman indicated it had to take into account more than distance when outlining diversions.

He said: "As with all road closures, we must consider through traffic which includes heavy goods vehicles.

"This is a major consideration when planning diversion routes, as we need to make sure these vehicles are using suitable roads.

"On roads such as the B4070 we have considered all vehicles regularly using the road and planned accordingly.

"We appreciate that local people will be aware of shorter routes and they are perfectly free to choose their own alternatives.

"We would ask them to consider when using these roads, they give consideration to other road users and residents as these roads may now not be so suitable for the increased traffic levels."

The county council route sends motorists along the A46 to the junction with the A417 to The Air Balloon Inn and back to Stroud along the B4070 via Birdlip.