Landowners subjected to divide-and-conquer tactics in presentation of route options

THERE is great concern at the way new bypass roads and motorways are being introduced. The system is dividing communities and parishes and is turning them against each other.

When three or four road development options are published there is a tug-of-war between communities over the plans.

In that way, neighbours are set against one another. Farmers whose land is compulsorily taken should have a share in the tolls, even if it is a small percentage, in order to compensate for the loss of their land. In that way, one could bring people along with the plan instead of driving them against it. There should be consultation with people instead of publishing details of four routes and then coming up with what they call “an emergency preferred route”.