Protesters lose fight for Alton Towers bypass

VILLAGERS have lost their long-running battle for a multi-million pound relief road to ease traffic congestion on country roads around Alton Towers.

Residents have spent more than 20 years fighting for a bypass to bring an end to gridlock on roads around the theme park, which attracts more than two million visitors a year.

Villagers have blockaded country lanes in the past because of a lack of progress on the eastern access road.

Alton Parish Council was last night dealt the blow by theme park bosses, who claim the relief road would not be feasible because it was only needed over a handful of weeks at the height of the season.

Another stumbling block has been the cost of the eastern bypass scheme rising to more than £15 million.

And theme park bosses claim traffic to the attraction is decreasing. During the 2008 season, 425,000 cars were parked there – 100,000 less than in the years before 2000.

Under the theme park's new strategy as part of the Merlin Entertainments Group, visitors will be encouraged to stay longer and visits will be spread over a longer season, spreading the flow of traffic.

Chairman of Alton Parish Council Tony Moult said it had been a lively meeting and members had been left very disappointed by the decision.

He said: "It looks as though we will have to just put up with the traffic.

"We were hopeful something would be done. Alton Towers has spent a lot of time and money on researching this scheme.

"We do not envisage there will be any movement on any scheme now for the next 10 years.

"There does not seem a lot of hope. The roads through the village cannot be widened."

Deputy chairman of the parish council Arthur Forrester, who is also deputy leader of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, said: "I was not surprised. I would not think you could justify spending £15 million on that road.

"They have put in a case for not having it because they are going to concentrate more on the family side of the business, so there will be more people in cars, rather than singles or doubles."

Alton Towers says it carried out extensive consultation with the local councils before making the decision.

Head of development Mark Kerrigan said: "No business would be expected to invest such a substantial sum of money for something that may only make a difference for a month or six weeks of the year.

"That said, we are mindful of the effects of the Alton Towers Resort on our local community.

"Indeed, we have spent many hundreds of hours, and hundreds of thousands of pounds investigating the various routes that were suggested.

"We believe this decision is the right one to balance the significant economic benefits that Alton Towers brings to the local community."