PETITIONS against the earmarked closures of three county libraries have generated more than 8,000 signatures.

More than 3,500 signatures were collected by the Friends of Leominster Library in response to the current budget consultation being held by Herefordshire Council which has stated Belmont, Leominster and Ross libraries may be withdrawn.

More than 550 people put their name to a similar petition hoping to save Belmont library.

Both were handed to Cllr Brian Wilcox before last Friday’s full council meeting at Hereford Shirehall.

More than 4,000 signatures have also been gathered by the Ross Library Development Group.

In its budget consultation, the council says: “It is proposed to keep Hereford Library and The Hereford Centre as they are the most used facilities, whilst the centres covering both customer services and libraries in Belmont, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye would be withdrawn, along with access to public computers.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Wilcox was given a 242-signature petition by Haywood Lane resident Kate Sharp against the Southern Link Road.

In a letter delivered with the petition, she said: “This is an honest petition from people who primarily live to the south of the city and travel using the A465 or A49.

“There is a firm belief that this planned SLR will do nothing to relieve congestion and they feel that irreparable damage will be done to the Herefordshire countryside.”