CONCERNS have been raised about residents of a Forest of Dean village, who may be left ‘trapped’ later this month when their homes will be sealed off by road closures.

The road closures on the B4228 Coleford Road are scheduled to run from Monday, July 28 until Thursday, August 21, but according to the letter received by local residents, this may be extended at short notice owing to heavy rain, changes in temperatures, or machinery breakdown.

Gloucestershire County Council gave villagers and businesses in Woodcroft a few weeks' notice of the month-long closure that may leave them unable to leave their homes for most of the day.

Many residents have contacted local councillors in frustration after they were told by council officers that they will need to ‘plan around’ the two-mile full road closure.

Councillor Nick Evans (Tidenham) said: “I think it utterly fanciful that the county council’s roadworks teams will be working over the full two mile stretch of this closure, every day for a month.

“All local people and businesses are asking for a proportionate response and an access route, but the council are refusing to provide that. Instead, the council seems content to leave a whole community totally cut off, with no thought or concern for the impact on their lives.”

Cllr Evans added that despite pleas from residents and councillors, Gloucestershire County Council has refused to allow residents an ‘escape route’ out of the village when work is not being carried out on a specific section.

Cllr Evans said: “The prospect of a coach getting trapped in these lanes is, unfortunately, all too real and likely. When unplanned closures have taken place in the past, we have had lorries getting stuck in the single track lanes in the area which led to gridlock.”

Cllr Joe Harris, Cabinet Member for Highways at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We understand that roadworks can be frustrating and we’re sorry for any disruption this may cause to residents and local businesses. We’ve listened to local concerns and to help reduce the impact, we’ve changed our working hours to 9am–3pm each day. This means people will still be able to get in and out of the area outside those times. While this approach has extended the works by an extra week, it should help minimise the overall inconvenience.

“It’s worth noting that many residents have been calling for this stretch of road to be resurfaced for quite some time and we’re pleased to now be delivering this much-needed improvement. Residents were informed in advance, in line with the standard notice period for major road closures, to give them time to make alternative plans. The closure is needed to ensure the safety of both the workforce and the public. Pedestrian and emergency service access will be maintained throughout, and a clearly signposted diversion route will be in place.

“Once complete, this resurfacing will mean smoother journeys for everyone and one of the best road surfaces in the county and we’re grateful to residents and businesses for their patience.”