THE key objector to Witney’s proposed Cogges Link Road has branded the scheme “an absurd use of scarce resources”.

Mark Lowe QC, representing The Mawle Trust, was set to make his opening address at the ongoing public inquiry as the Gazette went to press.

The trust owns land needed for the link road but is opposed to the scheme, preferring instead the option of a four-way junction on the A40 at Shores Green.

The Cogges Link Road aims to cut congestion and pollution in the town centre and would run from Oxford Hill to Station Lane.

The inquiry, which was yesterday on day eight, will decide whether Oxfordshire County Council can compulsorily purchase land for the scheme.

In his opening statement, Mr Lowe was set to say: “The cost of the Cogges Link Road in terms of a local road scheme is no less than £19.6m. Of that, circa £4.6m is to come from the hard pressed public purse.

“It is an absurd use of scarce resources, both public and private, when the same objectives can be met by an alternative scheme at a mere fraction of the cost.”

He was also due to attack the county council for not providing highway evidence, the latest modelling or the design of key junctions for the road.

The statement continued: “The modelling of the consequences of the scheme for the proper functioning of the flood plain and the avoidance of risk of damage to the property of third parties is so inadequate that it is incapable of justifying the confiscation of our client’s land.”

“Our first submission is that the Secretary of State cannot be satisfied that there is a compelling case to compulsorily acquire the property of third parties where the scheme is so inchoate or unsatisfactory that there can be no confidence that the underlying scheme either will be or is likely to be implemented.”

Two weeks ago, the inquiry opened with David Holgate, the barrister representing the council, arguing there was a “compelling case” for the road.

He said it would alleviate the town centre’s “considerable problems” of congestion, noise, air quality and transportation.

And he added that Shores Green was “not a proper or appropriate alternative”, that it would not be as effective at reducing congestion and that it would add local traffic to the current traffic levels on the A40.

On Friday, anti-Cogges Link Road group Witney First presented a 4,000-strong petition to Prime Minister David Cameron’s Witney constituency office in High Street.

They also handed over a survey of 1,061 homes on the Cogges estate, which showed that 93 per cent of the 586 households that responded were against the scheme.

Witney First member David Condon said: “We think that David Cameron is perhaps a bit out of touch with what is happening in Witney at the moment.

Mr Condon added: “The petition and survey shows the overwhelming support for our campaign against the Cogges Link Road and for the Shores Green option from the people of Witney.”

Mr Cameron was not available for comment yesterday.