Re-routing road will 'put kids' lives at risk'

May 15 2008 By Gary Fanning

RESIDENTS this week warned children’s lives will be put at risk after a main road was re-routed through a new housing development.

Villagers are up in arms over the road closure at the old railway bridge between Draffan Road and Station Road in Netherburn abd are calling for urgent action.

The road was the main route for people travelling to Blackwood, Lesmahagow and Netherburn Primary School.

The railway bridge has been knocked down.

Now commuters will have to travel through the new housing estate at Hampton Road, Netherburn, to get to their destination, and this has caused a furore in the area.

One farmer said: “I feel strongly against this move taking place.

“They are re-routing a main road through new six-bedroom house development.

“A blind corner is on this road and it could cause a serious accident.

“It also means that there are businesses in the area that have to transport large machines on their vehicles, and they will be forced to go through the housing estate.

“The traffic shouldn’t be going through the housing estate.

“The council have got this wrong

“They shouldn’t be taking the bridge away.”

Sue McKillop, chairman of Netherburn Residents and Tenants Association, added: “Some of the farmers tractors won’t be able to get through the housing site, as the road is not wide enough.

“There is going to be a bad accident.

“It won’t be safe for kids playing in the estate.

“People’s lives are going to be put in danger.

“The road is definitely unsuitable for this traffic.

“I think they should have lowered the bridge and built a road over it.

“The bridge shouldn’t be blocked to traffic.

“Some of these tractors will have difficulty trying to get through a building site.

“It’s going to be chaotic.

”I will be contacting the council to see what can be done about it.

“Now that the bridge is away the traffic would be better going through Crossing Lane.”

A South Lanarkshire Council spokesman said: “This closure is the end of a long process to improve the environment in Netherburn and is being provided as part of the development of housing in the area.

“The section of road which has been stopped up was narrow, had no footway provision and crossed a bridge which was in poor condition and also on a blind bend.

“There were also a number of accidents at this location.

“There were concerns from residents regarding the safety of properties as the road was some three metres above the rear gardens of adjacent properties.”

The council spokesman said the replacement road, which goes through the new housing development, was wider, had pavements on each side, traffic calming and street lights.

He added that the new road was also at a lower level and more in keeping with the area.

The spokesman said that they have consulted fully with residents, councillors, police, SPT, in the area and received no objections.

He added: “The date for the closure was agreed between roads department and the developer and was delayed as long as possible to allow the completion of as much of the new road as possible before being brought into use.

“It would not be possible to complete the road fully as alterations at the tie in points with the old road required significant works to be undertaken.

“This work will be carried out timeously by the developer in order to keep disruption to traffic to a minimum.

“The ground under the old road was not in council ownership and this ground will now revert to the title holder, in this case the current developer.

“When this work is completed the council expect the infrastructure in the area will be an improvement and will encourage safer driving through the village.”