RESIDENTS of Leys Hill in Walford have been campaigning for six years to improve the road design and signage to make the junction with the B4234 as safe as possible.

But no substantial improvements have been made in that time, despite the efforts of the local community and Walford Parish Council.

The parish council has been working with Herefordshire Council and Balfour Beatty over the proposed improvements to the Leys Hill Junction and the Bishopswood Village Hall and canoe car park entrance.

The clerk of Walford Parish Council told members at last week’s meeting that the council’s chairman had written to Herefordshire Council’s traffic management some months ago setting out what the parish council wanted and this included suggesting the local authority should review its decision over the Leys junction with the B4234 at Bishopswood.

The clerk said: “However, county councillor Simeon Cole has informed us tonight that a formal response is being prepared, but before this happens the cabinet member for roads, Councillor Barry Durkin is requesting a site meeting.

Local resident Bill Cansdale told members: “Five months ago it was agreed at a meeting of this council that it would write to the local authority. So how long do we wait for a response?

“It seems that although I have been campaigning for six years for changes to be made at this junction to make it safe, I have not been invited to the proposed site meeting.

“I would request that I am involved in this in some form or another.”

Cllr Cole responded: “The meeting will be organised and when it comes to fruition, interested parties will be invited by this parish council. Mr Cansdale can make his points known at this meeting. However, the date has still to be decided.”

Mr Cansdale added: “Please explain to me how, after six years, this dangerous junction has not been pushed to the top of the priority list?”

Cllr Cole pointed out that the works, which will be paid for by Walford Parish Council, still has not been approved by the cabinet member and added: “Cllr Durkin has decided that the best way forward is to have a site meeting, which is where we are at present.”

Meeting chairman Dave Berry said: “In reality, this is a totally unacceptable situation for this still to be dragging on and on for this amount of time. I agree it’s about time things came to a head and the planned amendments to the junction and signage agreed.

“We need to insist that the site meeting takes place as soon as possible.”

Mr Cansdale said: “This parish council has paid for the scheme’s design and the planning application fees, but this seems to have been rejected by Herefordshire Council which then outsourced the design to Balfour Beatty. But this scheme was also refused by the county’s planners.

“We haven’t moved forward since then, despite various promises being made over the past year. We shouldn’t be sitting here just waiting for things to get done eventually. It shouldn’t take six years for this matter to be resolved.”