Lib Dem Somerset County Council are forcing through plans to create a new Park & Ride scheme for Taunton, even though these plans face huge opposition.

Contracts for the site at Cambria Farm were awarded last week, in spite of local public opinion being massively against the project.

Last month, Conservatives in Somerset backed calls for an immediate review of how the site was chosen, and pressed Somerset County Council to delay the awarding of contracts until this review had taken place. However, the Lib Dems at County Hall ignored these calls, as well as the views of the local residents.

Speaking about the decision to award the contract before the residents have had the chance to have their say, David Fothergill, Conservative County Council candidate for the area, said, "As I feared would be the case, the Lib Dems have once again chosen to ignore the views of the local population and have instead decided to force through this unpopular scheme. They should be ashamed of their lack of consultation.''

Ken Maddock, leader of Somerset County Council's Conservative Group added, "Yet again, Lib Dem Somerset County Council is imposing schemes that will affect thousands of their residents, without proper consultation. We called on them to initiate an urgent review of the proposals, but the Lib Dems knew the results of this would go against their plans, so they carried on regardless.''

David Fothergill concluded, "Now the contracts have been signed there is no turning back. Villages such as Ruishton, Creech St Michael and Henlade are going to suffer traffic gridlock for years to come, and the Lib Dems will have no-one to blame but themselves.''