Barrier cost claims denied by councillor

A council chief today denied claims a controversial new barrier in Telford cost £140,000 and called for a councillor to "get a grip" over the protests.

Councillor Steve Bentley, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for highways, spoke out after Councillor Kuldip Sahota, member for Malinslee ward, joined a motorcyclists' protest at the Old Park roundabout on Saturday.

Councillor Sahota claimed Telford & Wrekin Council chiefs, who installed the barrier on the roundabout approach in a bid to reduce the number of accidents, were ignoring motorcyclists' views over the controversial barrier.

But Councillor Bentley today told members of Bugsplatz Motorcycle Club he would be willing to meet the riders, but they had not yet taken him up on his offer.

The club members claim the "Berlin wall" barrier now restricts the view and would in fact cause more accidents than before.Councillor Bentley said Councillor Sahota needed to "get a grip over local issues" and said the scheme, which the barrier is a part of, was approved by the outgoing Labour administration.

Councillor Bentley said: "Road safety is one of our administration's main priorities and this visibility barrier was erected following a number of road accidents at this location.

"I am keen to meet representatives from the Bugsplatz motorcycle group to discuss their particular concerns over this issue.

"We would like to clarify some of the misleading claims made by Councillor Sahota, who seems to have no grasp whatsoever about local issues as, despite his recent criticism over the barrier, he was part of the outgoing Labour administration which gave approval for the scheme to go ahead."

Councillor Bentley said "wild claims" the barrier cost £140,000 were untrue and in fact it cost £30,000.

More than 100 motorcyclists protested on Saturday because they fear accidents will now happen on the roundabout due to poor visibility rather than rear-end shunts which previously happened.