NEIGHBOURS living near the M65 extension are considering going to the European Commission to complain about their treatment by the Highways Agency.

Brindle Parish Council has repeatedly asked for more tree planting and fencing since the new stretch of motorway was built, skirting the village.

At a site meeting with the Highways Agency, the councillors saw the 18 inch-high young trees that have been planted and were told nothing more would be done.

Chairman Joan Croasdale, of Pippin Street, Brindle, said she felt there was nothing the council could now do but she was thinking about taking her grievances to Europe with a group of neighbours.

She said the parish council had discussed how the village could be shielded from the motorway during the Highway Agency's consultation process before the motorway was built.

"In the early days they did mention fencing and extensive planting and now that's not going to happen," she said.

"We have minutes of what we were promised and I think they were telling us a lot of lies. We were told absolutely everything to make us live with it. We quoted the past promises and were put very firmly in our place. We were bitterly disillusioned."

But a spokesman for the Highways Agency said the village had never been promised fencing as landscapers had decided it would be more intrusive than an open aspect with the motorway.

He said smaller trees were planted as they grew faster than large ones, which do not grow for several years.

"They may look quite weedy and insignificant now but they will grow very, very fast," he said.

"Brindle have always supported the building of this motorway on the basis that it would take a lot of traffic that cut through the village.

"As part of the statutory consultation, everyone had the opportunity to have their say." "The Highways Agency's policy is to listen and we have bent over backwards in all honesty to try and accommodate their requirements but when it comes down to it there's only so much that can be done.

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