Measures to address traffic ‘hell’ for residents in Rodbourne must be in this year’s council budget, one Labour councillor has urged.

Coun Bob Wright who represents Central ward told the Conservative cabinet: “If another year goes by with out something being done, then residents who are suffering this all the time will totally lose confidence in this council.”

Coun Wright says that he would like to see small, easily achievable and easily affordable measures put in: “Rodbourne Road and Kemble Drive get totally snarled up, on a daily basis. I’d like to see a yellow box at the junction with Redcliffe Street so cars can get out, because they are blocked it, and we need to make it better for residents in Park Lane, Church Place and Dean Street.

Western and Mannington councillor Steph Exell added: “There are a lot of ideas which we put to the council after a public meeting before Christmas, that includes no left turn into Rodbourne Lane from the junction with Rodbourne Road and Kemble Road.

There’s also an idea to allow Churchward residents to use bus access points to let them get out during busy times.

“We’ve both had many residents contacting us to tell us how they are suffering- they have to spend ridiculous amounts of time on the school run, and they’re often not able to get out of their streets.

“And it’s not just at weekends, this is every day.”

The capital programme for highways put forward in next year’s council budget, approved by the cabinet and to be debated by councillors next week, allocated £5.1m to highways, with £4.1m for local transport plans.

Coun Dale Heenan, the cabinet member for the town centre said: “It’s standard practice at this stage in developing the budget that we agree a headline figure, such as £5m, and that detail as to where and on what it is spent on is then filled in in the coming months.”

Senior officer at Euclid Street, Steve Jorden said: “I will check to see what items are being put forward for highways work for next year’s budget.

“The detailed plans should be ready to be put to the March cabinet meeting.”

That meeting is scheduled for March 20.