THE MOST controversial road barrier in the village is to stay where it is – at least for five years.

Residents in Grove have voted overwhelming to keep the Cane Lane traffic gate in place.

That is despite the fact it causes traffic headaches for neighbours including coaches parking in front of road entrances.

The barrier was installed in the middle of Cane Lane decades ago to stop cars speeding down road.

It separates the more residential east side of the road, adjoining Grove Main Street, from the less populated west side which is home to Grove Rugby Club.

Grove Parish Council launched a village-wide consultation after a growing number of complaints of cars speeding down the residential side of the lane and motorbikes squeezing around the side of the barrier.

There were also complaints of coachloads of sports teams parking on the residential side barrier and blocking the entrances to Westfield Close and the Willows.

A total of 162 households responded to the parish council's consultation.

Of those, 96 were in favour of keeping the barrier in its current location.

Another 25 households voted to remove the barrier and open Cane lane up to two-way traffic; 11 were in favour of taking out the barrier and making Cane Lane one-way from Main Street to the bridge and two-way from the Bridge up to the Rugby Club, and 30 were in favour of re-location the barrier to the bridge.

In addition to the official responses, 53 residents of Westfield Close and the Willows signed a petition to the council calling for the barrier to be left where it is.

Based on the overwhelming strength of feeling, parish councillors agreed in October to keep the barrier where it was.

Chairman June Stock said: "I was not surprised by the result: quite often over the past few months when I was out walking people said to me they don't want the gate changed because it was safer this way for children walking to the recreation ground."

Mrs Stock said the issue would likely be reviewed in five years' time when and if work started on the 2,500-home Grove Airfield housing estate which would affect the number of vehicles on village roads.

In the meantime, the council has put a sign up at the Main Street entrance to Cane Lane telling drivers there is no access to the recreation ground via that route.

The council said it has already reduced the number of drivers parking there.

As for speeding cars and motorbikes, Mrs Stock called on motorists to do the decent thing and abide by the rules of the road.

Former chairman Frank Parnell and several other councillors said they had been in favour of removing the barrier, but agreed to go with the majority vote.

Councillor Jean Nunn-Price recommended the results of the consultation be sent to the Wantage and Grove Traffic Advisory Committee for discussion regarding some of the comments made by residents relating to traffic calming measures.