Residents exasperated at pause to roundabout works

10 hours ago

Julia Gregory,in Ottershawand

Patrick Barlow,South East

Lou Needle says work on Ottershaw Roundabout which has been paused "looks awful"

Julia Gregory / BBC A man, Lou Needle, wearing a white zip-up hoodie. He is stood in front of a road with roadworks next to it. — Lou Needle says work on Ottershaw Roundabout which has been paused "looks awful"

Residents living near roadworks which have been paused for weeks say the site is a "huge blot on the landscape" as they wait for answers about when work will resume.

Work on the A320 near Ottershaw Roundabout began earlier this year but has been paused for several weeks over concerns about protecting nearby trees.

Surrey County Council said work had been paused to allow further "detailed and extensive" tree surveys and said protecting the trees was "of high importance to both us and local residents".

Lou Needle, who lives near the site, told BBC Radio Surrey: "The area looks awful and it has looked like this for some time."

Works on Ottershaw Roundabout have been paused for four weeks, residents say

Julia Gregory / BBC A work site with metal fencing blocking it off. A mound of dirt can be seen on one side. Behind the works, a red and white plastic fence separates the site from a road, with cars on it. — Works on Ottershaw Roundabout have been paused for four weeks, residents say

He added: "There's huge disruption and nothing has been done for about the last four weeks.

"We need the road infrastructure but it's just the way it has been done. I think everyone is equally frustrated."

Plans to improve the A320 include the full signalisation of St Peter's Roundabout.

The wider scheme is currently scheduled for completion by autumn 2027.

The Ottershaw Neighbourhood Forum has challenged the council over the trees

Julia Gregory / BBC A man, Bob Oliver, wearing a zip up fleece and coat. He is stood in front of a road with roadworks next to it. — The Ottershaw Neighbourhood Forum has challenged the council over the trees

The council also apologised for the accidental removal of some woodland near the scheme, which it said would be replanted.

Bob Oliver, of the Ottershaw Neighbourhood Forum, said the group had challenged the council about the trees.

He claimed could the trees could be "seriously damaged beyond repair" under the current plans.

He added: "We have had seven years of hurt here since the original approval."

The council said the pause will remain in place while surveys on the trees are carried out.

It said the surveys are "detailed and extensive" and "take a considerable amount of time".

Natalie Bramhall, cabinet member for infrastructure, said: "We understand residents' frustration at the disruption caused by these works.

"Although there may be periods when activity on site is less visible, there is still essential work under way behind the scenes to complete various sections of the scheme before safely reopening to traffic.

"We are meeting regularly with our contractor to progress this as quickly as possible."

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