A pensioner is forced to build an expensive tunnel to reach his home after a new road construction leaves him stranded
Gloucestershire: So, there’s this guy named Brian Garlick, right? He’s in a bit of a pickle. He’s got to access his home through a private tunnel that’s about a quarter mile long. Why? Because a new road was built next door, and now his place is basically cut off.
Brian’s been living in a caravan but still has to pay all the bills for his house, which has been in his family for ages. The new A417 Missing Link road is supposed to connect Gloucester and Cirencester, but it’s left him in a tough spot. At first, they offered him £750,000 for his home, but then they pulled the offer. Now, he’s stuck waiting until 2027 for the project to finish.
He’s not too happy about it, to say the least. Plans are now in the works for this fancy tunnel that could cost between £4 million and £6 million just so he can get in and out. Brian’s been pretty vocal about how frustrating this whole situation is. He feels like he’s been left hanging and out of pocket because of the roadwork.
He mentioned that when they first suggested the tunnel, he was shocked. But honestly, what other choice did he have? If they had just paid him what they promised, he wouldn’t be in this mess. Now, he’s living alone in a caravan park and has to give contractors a heads-up before they can access his home.
Brian’s property has been in his family since the 1950s, and it’s tough to see it all change. He’s still paying council tax and all the other bills for a house he can’t even live in. He hasn’t even received an apology from National Highways, which is pretty rough.
He’s hopeful that once the road is done, things will be better, but he’s worried about the noise. They say they won’t do anything about soundproofing until a year after the road opens, which seems a bit unfair. He’s just trying to make the best of a bad situation.
National Highways has said they had discussions with Brian before starting the construction and are trying to minimize the impact on him and the community. They’re working on the final design for the underpass, which is supposed to help with access for emergency services too. But for Brian, it’s just a long wait ahead.
