A DAMNING report on Poole’s proposed old town gyratory system was “buried” by the council, it is claimed.

The leaked six-page dossier by the influential Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe), the government’s adviser, has never seen the light of day.

And councillors made their decision on the much criticised “out-dated” one-way gyratory system without seeing the critical report.

Borough of Poole invited Cabe and English Heritage to a workshop a year ago, and the unflattering report on the Twin Sails Bridge access roads was revealed at the transportation advisory group meeting, packed by residents opposing the scheme.

Cllr Mike Brooke, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, who revealed the existence of the report, said: “It’s absolutely disgraceful. It’s damning and they have continued to push ahead.”

The report is highly critical of both the process and the scheme, claiming “a lack of focus on the re-creation of place in a historical part of Poole”.

It said: “The bias for layout seemed to be against the promotion of walking, cycling and public transport”, it was “skewed to cars and is likely to increase barriers to the enjoyment of the streets”.

The report slammed the layout as a “premature infrastructure solution in a vacuum” and one of seven recommendations was to “step away from previous work”.

It said: “The baseline information is 10 years old and needs a comprehensive review and possibly an update before significant further work is committed based on its recommendations.”

Cllr Brooke, who is proposing to call in the process by which the decision was reached, said: “We are putting in an isolating, incomplete scheme and trying to plan it bit by bit. It’s bonkers.”

Julian McLaughlin, head of transportation, said: “It was only ever a draft document and has not been finalised or agreed.

“The workshop was very productive and subsequently the council has agreed to review the transport design of the wider regeneration area.

“In the meantime, the Marston Bay Hog gyratory layout, if approved, would offer important improvements for both cyclists and pedestrians while helping to reduce traffic flow along parts of West Street.”

Cabinet member Cllr Xena Dion will make the decision on the traffic orders, after the transportation advisory group’s approval by five votes to three.