A RESIDENT of Crow Country is going on the road as part of a new initiative to address highways issues. Terry Smith, from Thriplow, has become a parish highway warden. The pilot scheme will see wardens acting as liaisons between their parish council an

A RESIDENT of Crow Country is going "on the road" as part of a new initiative to address highways issues.

Terry Smith, from Thriplow, has become a parish highway warden. The pilot scheme will see wardens acting as liaisons between their parish council and the local highways department.

Cambridgeshire county councillor Matt Bradney, cabinet member for growth and infrastructure, said: "The pilot scheme should foster much better understanding of what works we are able to undertake and what works we are not able to undertake and why.

"The scheme's objective is to develop a closer relationship between highways staff and parish councils and if the trial proves useful we will consider rolling it out across other parts of the county."

The newly-inducted wardens visited the county council's Whittlesford depot, where they met with key highways staff and discussed issues relevant to their parishes.

As part of the induction programme, wardens took part in a depot walkabout and were given a view of the coming year's work programme and the works scheduled to take place in their area. The wardens were also given an oversight of available budgets, likely budget pressures and highway policy changes.

Thriplow is one of six villages in the county council's Duxford division which have been selected for the trial

Cllr Tim Stone, county councillor for Duxford, said: "I believe that parishes are the key to local democracy and it only makes sense for the county and parishes to work more closely together. The parish warden scheme is an excellent example of how this can be achieved.