Council Defends £1 Million Roundabout Overhaul

West Berkshire Council has defended itself after a social media backlash over improvement works at Newbury's Robin Hood roundabout.

Residents voiced disbelief at the £1 million price tag, mocking the spend and saying the cash should have gone on fixing potholes rather than adding a bit more road.

The council says the work is complete and it is awaiting final invoices. It says the scheme was funded through developer contributions and included more than an extra lane - resurfacing the junction, traffic signal upgrades, sign replacement, vegetation clearance, ironwork repairs, gully cleaning, road markings and traffic management. It added the measures will help traffic flow towards Shaw and the A4 Thatcham and renew the junction for years to come.

Weeks of lane closures and overnight gridlock drew heavy criticism for causing total chaos and long delays. Drivers said the A339 had become so slow it was quicker to loop 6.7 miles via the A34 bypass to enter Newbury from the north.

The layout changes were widely mocked on the council's Facebook page, with one resident asking if an apprentice had done the lane markings, and others saying the complex system still confuses out-of-town drivers.

Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter