VILLAGERS have raised concerns about speed humps and narrow streets along the proposed repatriation route in Brize Norton.

Oxfordshire County Council released the suggested route for the repatriations from RAF Brize Norton last Monday after testing the route.

The plans would see the cortege travel through Brize Norton village, which has narrow lanes and speed humps along Station Road.

One Brize Norton resident said: “What a stupid idea.

“This route will go right through the centre of Brize Norton village where the roads are so narrow at one point that if cars park one side of the road it is impossible for two cars to pass one another.

“Then it would have to negotiate chicanes and speed humps, part of which included the entrance to our Village Hall car park.

“We have an understanding in this village that if parents bring pupils to school by car they will park in this car park.

“Imagine the chaos if a cortege is trying to come up the village around 3pm when cars are coming down the village to park in this car park.”

But Keith Glazier, chairman of Brize Norton Parish Council, said the county council had tested the route by driving a hearse through the village.

He said this, and temporary police road blocks, meant there was no need to worry. The Government announced repatriations would move to the base from RAF Lyneham, in Wiltshire, which is due to close in September.

The county council, along with Thames Valley Police, was tasked with finding a route for the corteges to exit the base and travel to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

It has suggested exiting from the east of the base, travelling through Brize Norton, before turning left and travelling down Norton Way and Monahan Way, towards the A40.

The county council has proposed building an area in Norton Way for people to pay their respects to the cortege.

An alternative route, exiting the base north of Brize Norton, has also been suggested in case the main route cannot be used.

Mr Glazier said: “There will be concerns about the streets, but we consider it manageable.

“Oxfordshire County Council has recceed the route with a hearse. But even if you drive an ordinary car over the speed humps, you hardly feel them.”

Oxfordshire County Council bosses briefed the parish council last Tuesday.

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “We did a test drive through Brize Norton and didn’t discover any problems.

“But if people have got concerns, they can raise them in the consultation.”

He said residents should get in touch with parish and town councils. The county council will discuss the plans in the next few weeks.

The consultation on the route will finish at the end of May.