A pensioner is set to have a costly tunnel built for access to his home
Gloucester: So, there’s this pensioner named Brian Garlick who’s in quite the pickle. He lives right next to a new road project, the A417 Missing Link, and now he’s getting a fancy tunnel just to reach his house. Can you believe it? This tunnel could cost taxpayers between £4m and £6m!
Brian was hoping to sell his home to National Highways, but they pulled their offer. Now, he’s stuck with his house until the project wraps up in 2027. He found out that the only way to get to his place safely is through this tunnel. It’s a bit wild, right?
Without the tunnel, he’d be pretty isolated. The tunnel will be built about a quarter-mile from his house, but they haven’t even figured out the details yet. Right now, Brian’s living in a caravan park, and he has to give a 21-day notice just to visit his own home. Talk about a hassle!
At 69, he’s feeling the strain. He said he was shocked when they first mentioned the tunnel. It seemed a bit over the top, but he realized there weren’t many other options. He wanted to sell his family home, which has been in his family since the 1950s, but now he’s just trying to make sense of it all.
National Highways claims the tunnel was always part of the plan to help with local drainage and access to some telephone masts. They initially thought about buying his property but later decided it wasn’t feasible. Brian, however, insists they made an offer and then took it back, which has left him feeling pretty frustrated.
He’s been living in a caravan he had to buy himself, while the contractors only cover his campsite fees and gas. He’s still on the hook for council tax and all the bills for his house. It’s a tough spot to be in, and he hasn’t even received an apology from National Highways.
The whole £460m project aims to ease traffic jams in the area and is expected to finish by 2027. In the meantime, Brian’s just trying to get by in his caravan. He’s hopeful that once it’s all done, the roads will be better and the tunnel will make things safer. But he’s worried about the noise levels once the road opens.
Local residents are also upset about the noise from the construction. One person even said they’ll have to live with it for a year before they can complain about it. National Highways has said they had discussions with Brian about the disruption and are trying to address concerns, but it sounds like there’s still a lot of frustration in the community.
As for the tunnel, they’re keeping quiet about the costs but confirmed it’s necessary for access to emergency services and other needs. They’re working on the final design, but it’s clear this whole situation is a bit of a mess for Brian and the locals.
