People living and working in one of the most popular tourist spots in Herefordshire told the Ross Gazette that an eight-month closure of their access road is having a huge effect, not just on the local economy but on their whole lives.

One resident told the Gazette that they have lived in the area for 21 years so understand, and have always accepted the problems of rural life but this has been ‘devastating’ and the impact has been horrendous. She said: “We cannot get any work done, or deliveries, even heating fuel we have to pay extra, and our homes are being devalued and we are struggling for insurance cover.”

The C1257 has been closed since June 2018 due to a combination of a dangerous wall next to the highway and damage to the highway itself. Herefordshire Council told the Ross Gazette that this is a consequence of an ongoing landslip.

Now MP Jesse Norman has become involved in trying to achieve a solution which will hopefully alleviate the situation for the residents and business owners.Paul Newman, Herefordshire Councillor for Kerne Bridge told the Ross Gazette that he was shocked that nothing seemed to have changed in the eight months the road has been closed.Local MP, Jesse Norman volunteered to broker a meeting to solve the eight-month road closure when he met a group of the local residents and business owners on Friday, February 8th.

A total of 40 properties in Symonds Yat have been almost cut off from the rest of the world due to a road closure in the picturesque Wye Valley village.

The only alternative way for residents to access their properties is via Ferrie Lane, a narrow byway which runs alongside the River Wye at the back of The Old Ferrie Inn.

The byway is narrow (maximum vehicle width 6.2ft), unlit at night with some steep drops to the river – at its lowest point it sometimes floods when the river is high.

Herefordshire Council is responsible for the condition of the highway and the safety of the public but the wall is privately owned and remains the responsibility of the owner of the adjoining property.

The council says it is in dialogue with the owners of the wall to try to resolve the situation collaboratively and without having to resort to potentially prolonged legal action.

Now Hereford and South Herefordshire MP Jesse Norman has volunteered to be a broker to find a solution to the problem.

“If the current discussions are not successful, I’m very happy to try to broker a way forward between all the parties.”

Kerne Bridge councillor Paul Newman, who welcomes Mr Norman’s offer and also volunteers to help, said he was shocked and disappointed by ‘the apparent inactivity and lack of urgency’ shown by the council and its contractors.

“It’s almost inconceivable that after yet another four months, I can be here saying exactly the same thing.

“We need more energy and a determination to find positive solutions to bring an end to the awful isolation of this local community.”

Clive Hall, acting assistant director highways and transport at the council, said they were seeking a further meeting with the owners of the wall and their professional representatives.

“At that meeting we plan to present to them an interim solution that will make the wall safe and enable us to reopen the road,” he said.

“We shall be seeking their consent to move the interim solution we have engineered forward and agree what further monitoring and approvals are required for them to arrive at the eventual construction of their wall.”

Cabinet member transport and regulatory services Barry Durkin said the council fully acknowledges the difficulties the closure is having on residents and businesses.

“Ultimately the wall remains the property of the owners.

“The next meeting with the owners will give us a clear way forward and if our interim proposal is agreed we will provide full details to the community and will then expedite all necessary works to reopen this road.”

He said: Our local MP Jesse Norman recently wrote to local residents and he made a pledge that if the current discussions are not successful he would be happy to try and broker a way forward between all the parties.”

On Friday, February 8th, the MP and Councillor met with a large group of the residentdna business owners affected by the road closure.

MP Jesse Norman said that people lives had been interrupted by the issue and he would happy to act as a broker and bring together the different parties to allow work to be resumed

The Murphy’s who own the house dan wall where the landslip occurred said they have beeninlimbo since 2016 when they put the house which they built on the market. The house had been completed in 2010 and the garden was finally finished in 2016. Then there was the first water pipe burst which lead to the demolition of a garage dan the road to be closed. At the time Welsh water carried out work but last year

As the highway authority, Herefordshire Council is responsible for the condition of the highway and the safety of the public, while the wall is privately owned and remains the responsibility of the owner of the adjoining property.  Until such time as the wall is made safe the road must remain closed for the safety of the public.

However, the people who live in the stretch of road which has been closed have faced great difficulties in the tie it =since.

Several owners of holiday cottages in the area said that they have lost many bookings.

Herefordshire Council claims that the responsibility lieas with the owners of the house dan wall where the landshlip first occurred.

their bookings are down significantly, by as much as 75% on last year.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.