Packed hall as frustrated residents meet to discuss A41 closure 'chaos'

The closure of the road last week brought "chaos" to the rural communities, who found themselves inundated with traffic avoiding the lengthy diversion.

Damage to property, including to listed buildings, kerbs, road edges and hedges, and traffic jams and road blockages posing a risk to emergency services, were just a few matters on the packed agenda.

One resident painted a picture of the picturesque villages before the works began.

"Dogs walk off leads around the village," she said.

"Children ride their bikes around the village because they can do, there's that little traffic."

After just over a week of packed roads, the patience of many is clearly running out.

Phil Street, chairing the meeting said: "It's not just about Sambrook, it's about how it's impacted residents on all sides of the closure. I think we all feel quite strongly about this.

"Parents are frightened to let their children go outside; it's the summer holidays, it's just not acceptable.

"Some residents have taken matters into their own hands, putting up signs and bollards to stop people driving in their gardens. Some of the drivers have been quite abusive.

"And it's dangerous. I myself was pinned to a wall by an artic."

Kate Alston, 65, from Sambrook, has lived in the small village with her husband for over 30 years and said the issues are the worst she has ever seen.

"I'm used to driving these roads, and I've never seen anything like it," she said.

"These roads weren't designed for this traffic. The potholes have become worse, the verges have been completely worn away. And we're only a week in.

"It's not doing the cars any good, it's not doing the roads any good, it's not doing anything for people's mental health.

"We used to go for lots of walks, but we can't because it's too dangerous. People slow down for the sharp corners and then put their foot down on the straights."

Karen Hughes, from Ellerton said: "The issue is the HGVs, they're just following their satnavs. The closure doesn't start until after the turning to the village, that's the issue."

Karen's husband, Martin, agreed: "It needs to be managed, it needs to be enforced. They need to make sure they're only letting residents in. It's just an absolute farce. It's taking 40 minutes to do a three-minute journey."

With a meeting reportedly planned for next Tuesday, the residents gathered to brainstorm ideas to present to highways bosses and contractors.

Mr Street explained: "What we'd like to do is try and come up with some positive ideas that we can present to the council and form a small action group to put a report together we can put to the meeting."

But many argued one week was too long to wait.

Residents discussed one-way systems, alternative diversions, calls for better monitoring and enforcement, tackling speeding and easier methods of reporting issues and damage.

Edgmond and Ercall Magna councillor Stephen Burrell said it was of the utmost importance that lessons would be learned from the situation.

"Businesses, lives and properties are at risk. We need reassurances that this will never happen again," he said.