Major improvements to a traffic blackspot are still in limbo.

Development of the Bisham Roundabout on the A404 has been in the pipeline for years but the plans went back to the drawing board in 2015 following a public consultation.

And Highways England (HE) has still not decided how it is going to improve the “nightmare” roundabout after the majority of respondents rejected the three options – a partial signalised roundabout, a “left in/left out” (no right turn from local roads) and a signalised junction – proposed by the highways authority.

A total of 659 people took part in the consultation over the 12-week period, with Highways England saying they included comments and views on the options proposed and ideas about “alternative approaches”.

Around 77 per cent agreed that something needed to be done to the spot but the majority of people supported the full development of the A404 as a longer term option rather than HE’s three proposed options.

Cllr Alan Keene, chairman of Bisham Parish Council, said the main problem with the roundabout was through-traffic using the A404 and a short-term measure to help villagers access the roundabout, which they were being prevented from doing because of the “heavy and continuous” through-traffic, could be to install traffic lights at the roundabout – one of HE’s options that was rejected.

He said: “The main problem is for the through-traffic which isn’t really a local issue.

“We are not against it being improved, what we are against is spending a lot of money on a scheme that is short-lived.

“We have always said that whatever they do, they should have a long-term strategic plan for the road.

“We haven’t seen any solutions that would stand out as being really excellent solutions for the problems.

“They need to address the whole strategic question of the junctions at either end.”

He said from the parish council’s perspective, improvements to the junctions would be more beneficial.

The junction was selected as part of the Government's ‘Pinch Point’ programme of the worst blackspots nationally for congestion.

Highways England spokesman Jack Tappin said the authority was delivering the Government’s road investment strategy, which runs from 2015 to 2020, and that any major improvements at the roundabout would be delivered under a future road investment strategy.

He said: “We are continuing to look at options for improving Bisham junction on the A404.

“A public consultation in 2015 established that none of the proposals available at the time were acceptable to local people.

“As a result, we are looking at improvements that could be made in the longer term.”