‘It’s an insult to us all,’ says Tom Peterkin, Towcester resident at Public Consultation

The first of three events was held at the Sawpits Centre in Towcester where residents were able to view the plans, ask questions and fill in opinion forms to offer their feedback on the future of the town.

National Highways Project Manager Mark Roxburgh said: “It is vitally important to us that local people, communities and road users have their say on these proposals and help shape future designs. We rely on the communities, who understand the local areas, to let us know how any schemes will impact that area and its residents.”

The National Highways has developed a number of options to shape Towcester, with cycleways, attractive landscaping, pedestrian areas and park and ride possibilities which are offered to the town for consideration. The public events by the National Highways have full details of these plans and large displays of the options that are being offered for residents to view.

This Towcester improvement plan is not part of the link road development, but part of two separate projects to bring about changes to the area. A number of residents who attended the event spoke of their concerns about the town. Tom Peterkins said: “It’s an insult to us all. What’s the point of talking about all these changes, like planters and artwork when the main issue is the traffic still?

“We would rather the money was spent on sorting the new relief road being built to remove the heavy vehicles coming through. How will the weight restrictions they are suggesting be enforced to make lorries use the relief road and why is this just a single track road and not a full bypass? When the traffic management has been addressed, then we would like to see these changes, not before.”

Mr Roxburg said: “These plans wouldn’t be started until the link road has been completed and we are very much involved in the consultation with this development so we can keep within timelines.”

Diane Davies, media relations manager, said: “We have been involved in the discussions and planning of the link road project so we have been able to contribute, but this is not what this consultation is about. The National Highways is working on the development of Towcester town for the future.”

Residents and business owners are invited to attend the other two planned meetings so they can also add feedback to the project. Online forms are also available for those unable to attend. These meetings have followed on from two previous online events that have been available to the public via Microsoft Teams.

The other two events to be held are:

Monday September 5, noon until 7pm at Waitrose car park, Richmond Road, Towcester.

Tuesday September 6, 9am to 2pm Aldi car park, Old Greens Norton Road, Towcester.

Online forms are available at https://highwaysengland.citizenspace.com/he/a5-towcester-improvements/ or there are paper copies available for residents at the events.