BUS proprietor James Bevan, a town and district councillor, claims that when the county council considers major road projects the Forest of Dean remains the poor relation.

Mr Bevan fears traffic chaos when work begins to repair Kidnalls Bridge, on the edge of Whitecroft, next week. The task means the link with Lydney will be severed for two months.

Coupled with the Whitecroft closure, Mr Bevan says Forest motorists will be the victims of a double whammy when, at the end of the month, the county also plans to close the road from Blakeney to Parkend for more repair work.

"I can see huge problems for motorists and for local businesses. I'm sure the work is being undertaken without proper consideration," he said.

Mr Bevan says he has no argument with fact that the work needs to be done.

"What angers me is that if we have to have a closure for two months then we should make sure that the work we are carrying out is a real improvement. As significant as they may be, this is just a repair job," he said.

"We need a new length of road there. As I understand it, the county council will be undertaking work to strengthen the bridge when they should be looking 50 years ahead and putting in a length of road which will last indefinitely."

Mr Bevan said lorries were becoming increasingly heavy.

"The axle weights are now considerable and inevitably that means more wear to the roads. This project is on a length of road which is vital to the Forest yet we end up with a repair job. The county say there is no money to replace the bridge but It seems to me they continue to ignore the Forest," said Mr Bevan.

He said he believed to alternative routes suggested by the county would bring chaos.

"People will find their own ways and use the smaller roads as rat runs. I suggested that the road through Brockhollands and Park Hill at Whitecroft should be signposted for residents and buses only but that has been rejected," he said.

Mr Bevan said he predicted traffic chaos at the junction of Bream Road with Lydney's Hill Street.