RESIDENTS and a local councillor have called for plans to build a 'northern orbital' route around Barnsley to be speeded up.

Coun Phil Birkinshaw says the opening of the Dodworth by-pass has led to 35 per cent more traffic using Higham Common Lane and a new road is the only solution.

Local residents say a significant number of HGVs are using Higham Common Lane and the road wasn't built to take that amount of traffic.

Coun Birkinshaw is appealing for the council to push plans for the northern orbital which would link the Dodworth by-pass to Redbrook, Fish Dam Lane, the Cudworth and West Green by-pass and the Coalfields Link Road, taking traffic out of the villages.

He said: "Previous to the Dodworth by-pass there was a railway bridge at the bottom of Higham Lane which restricted HGVs getting under it and they didn't really go through Higham.

"The traffic has got to go somewhere and it is unfair to expect it to go on other roads at Redbrook and Barugh Green.

"The answer would be to go with the route of the northern orbital which would take traffic away from Pogmoor which is coming from Redbrook Industrial Estate.

"We are getting complaints at surgeries and area forums so we have got to push for it and unless we keep on with it we are not going to get it."