Published: November 12, 2008
Exclusive: Asda meets Highbridge residents in row over road access

Anxious residents in Highbridge have met bosses from supermarket giant Asda in a bid to resolve a legal row over shoppers' use of a private drive to access the store.

Residents are unhappy that shoppers visiting Asda from Highbridge town centre are being encouraged to take a short-cut from Church Street into the store's car park using a private drive which they own.

Highbridge district councillor John Laband and local residents have met with Asda bosses to discuss the issue, which has been put in the hands of the supermarket chain's legal team.

Cllr Laband told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "Asda has effectively put in an access route from Church Street to their supermarket using a section of private drive which is owned by residents."

"They and I are unhappy about this, particularly given safety concerns here."

"We're anxious to know who is responsible if, for example, there's an accident involving an Asda customer using this drive as a cut-through."

"It's particularly worrying because there's a blind spot on the corner of the drive and there have been several near misses in recent months."

Gillian Dibb, Property Manager at Asda, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "We had a very positive meeting in which we ran through all the issues with the residents."

"The matter is now being discussed by our legal team and we hope to have a solution soon."

Burnham-On-Sea.com's photos show the meeting between residents and Asda bosses at the site of the private drive