The Offords A14 Action Group mounted a legal challenge when the agency failed to include alternative routes in the original 2006 consultation on the proposed upgrade for the A14.

Although they lost the initial challenge, they won the appeal when it came to light that the agency had failed to follow its own procedures on public consultations.

In an agreed settlement in September 2006, the group accepted an offer to have court costs of £53,500 and for the consultation to be re-run.

This took place this year and the Orange Route was recently announced as the preferred option by the Secretary of State for Transport.

The Orange Route is the route that goes closest to the Offords and also the one erroneously favoured by the Highways Agency in the original consultation.

But the campaigners have not yet received their money and have instead been in dispute with a treasury solicitor over the bills they submitted.

This disagreement was set to be resolved in yet another court case on November 1, but instead the Government agreed to pay them a day before the hearing.

Despite a deadline of November 21 being set for the payment, they have still not received a penny.

Member of the group Nita Tinn said: "We're getting frustrated that 14 months after the court order we are still waiting for our court costs.

"I think they are inefficient and it's not right to keep people waiting."

The group is to hold a public meeting on December 4 in the Village Hall at Offord Cluny at 7.30pm to decide whether to redistribute the recovered legal fees, or whether to put them towards further action.

A public inquiry on the preferred route would take place next year if there are objections from those who are affected by the new road.