CALLS have been made for new minibus services to stop new housing developments in Ledbury from causing traffic to come to a 'standstill'.

Ledbury residents' concerns over new or developing housing developments in the town were compounded earlier this month when government proposals meant Herefordshire could get 27,500 new homes over the next 20 years.

David Wood-Robinson has led calls to introduce and run several mini-buses in the town to tackle the impossible traffic and parking problems he claims will be caused by present plans for housebuilding. 

Cllr Stef Simmons said she shared concerns and has also called for a bus hopper service to help tackle the issues residents have. 

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Alarm bells had previously been raised by the potential for a traffic 'nightmare' at 'The Arches', Bloor Homes' 625 home housing development. 

Bloor Homes responded by carrying out roadworks at the junction connecting Hereford Road with Bromyard Road and the Homend, with new traffic lights set to be installed along with a controlled pedestrian crossing. 

But Mr Wood-Robinson said the present plans for housebuilding around Ledbury were already doomed to create impossible traffic and parking problems- and claimed any further expansion of the town would bring all traffic to a standstill.  

He added: "Apart from cancelling these plans, probably impossible, one solution would be to run several mini-buses on a variety of routes through the town instead of the 'big' buses on a single route we have now."

Town clerk Angela Price said the council had looked into the possibility of providing small electric buses on a “loop” from the new estates to the town centre.  

However, she added the cost of this exceeds the type of budget that Ledbury Town Council has and therefore it is not something that the town council can offer at this time.

But Cllr Simmons, who represents Ledbury South on Herefordshire Council, told the Reporter: "I have been working to bring forward the highways adoption of the roads on Hawk Rise/St Catherine’s Grange to enable installation of a bus shelter and the running of a service extension to the 476 bus. 

"This is now at an advanced stage but I hope installation will be completed and timetables published in due course. 

"I believe that in addition, Ledbury would also benefit from a bus hopper service - given the distance of the Viaduct, Hawk Rise and Hopfields developments from the town centre. 

"I’ve spoken to Mr Wood-Robinson in the past and understand and share his concerns and I and my fellow ward councillors are pushing for more investment in public transport for our market towns and rural areas."