Deans Copse Road management "is a shambles" - Longton

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 18th Jan 2007

Deans Copse Road, which runs south of the M4 from the Reading Road to Theale, has been periodically closed due to flooding since November last year. Councillor Dr Royce Longton, who represents Burghfield ward on West Berkshire Council explained the problem:

"The on/off closures on this road have diverted HGVs and other traffic down Theale Road and right past St Mary's School. I feel this is exposing school children to unnecessary danger. The problem has been put down to unusually high rainfall and blocked waterways on private land. We are now in mid-January and these excuses have stopped cutting any ice with me."

Dr Longton brought the issue to the attention of the ruling Tory Executive at the last full meeting of West Berkshire Council in early December, and remains disappointed by the unhelpful attitude of the Conservative administration which has let the problem roll on into January.

"This is a shambles," continued Dr Longton. "It is unacceptable that the road has been flooded for so long. At the last Council meeting I asked the Tory member responsible for highways what he had done to prevent this sort of problem happening again in future. He refused to answer - I suspect that means he's done nothing."