HEREFORDSHIRE Council and the Highways Agency have had another head-on collision over the A49 but the agency says the council should have known what was coming.

The much heralded co-operative and communicative relationship between the two lasted little over a fortnight. This week, Councillor Brian Wilcox, council cabinet member for transport, attacked the agency for showing contempt for the people of Hereford over a 'without-warning' lane closure that lead to long traffic queues across the city.

The agency wasn't going to give way, saying it told the council of the closure when the two parties held a recent progress meeting about roadworks at Belmont roundabout related to the Asda development. In a statement to the Hereford Times the agency said it was surprised at the council's attack when the council had agreed to the previous restriction on the A49 for eight weeks during March and April this year.

The statement said that the council was also represented at the Traffic Management Meeting held on Wednesday, August 16, when the proposal to restrict the A49 Ross Road to a single inbound lane was confirmed. The restriction was then put in place on Thursday, August 17.

Coun Wilcox maintained that the council objected to the closure because alternatives had not been discussed and the restriction imposed without proper notice.