Over 150 protesters held a disruptive protest in Berrow on Saturday morning (May 2nd) as villagers stepped up their campaign to get safety improvements introduced Coast Road.
Berrow’s Local Action Team organised the protest march to cause maximum disruption to motorists on one of the area’s busiest weekends of the year in order to pile pressure on Somerset County Council to introduce a pavement along the busy road.
Long queues of up to four miles of stationery traffic built up along Coast Road in both directions to Berrow and Burnham by lunchtime as the 150 protesters walked slowly along the road between Berrow Church and the triangle besides Berrow Brewery.
Residents have long campaigned for additional safety measures for the route, which is busy with thousands of tourists during the summer months.
Burnham’s MP, David Heathcoat-Amory, has previously given his support to the campaign, and a message of support was read to the crowd by Berrow Local Action Team Chairman Ken May at the beginning of Saturday’s march.
Berrow Local Action Team Chairman Ken May told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The issue of the Coast Road has dragged on for years, with a wholly inappropriate and totally unacceptable response from the County Council. We are going to change that.”
“This is the first of many and increasingly more frequent and longer protests being planned throughout the holiday season. We are going to cause as much disruption to traffic flows as possible so that our case will be addressed and resolved.”
He added: “The residents are absolutely exasperated at the complacency and ineptitude displayed. It’s OK for Somerset to address urban issues, but there’s been no mention of rural ones.”
Click here for more photos of Saturday’s protest at Berrow
.95-YEAR-OLD CAMPAIGNER JOINS THE MARCH
ELSIE Studley, 95, was the oldest campaigner at Saturday’s protest in Berrow.
She told Burnham-On-Sea.com outside Berrow Church: “Something needs to be done to increase safety here.”
“It’s a very dangerous road for young and old people alike, particularly during the holiday season.”
She waved her placard, which stated ‘We need our footpath now’ as she was pushed along in a wheelchair by her family during Saturday’s march along Coast Road.
RELATED LINKS:
More photos of Saturday’s protest at Berrow
August Bank Holiday protest brings Berrow to a halt
Baby hurt after two vehicle collision in Coast Road
MP tells council ‘stop making excuses’
Cyclist injured in Coast Road accident
MP backs residents’ campaign for safer road in Berrow
Video: statements given by Cllr Ham and Burnham’s MP
