Wiltshire Council has come under fire for failing to move forward with plans for a new road bridge over the railway line at the Spinnaker development – despite securing millions in developer funding for the project.
Plans for the bridge were first discussed in 2007-08 and were then included as part of a scheme in 2015 when the 300-home development near Station Road was unveiled. However, despite hundreds of houses being built since then – and more now planned for the area – residents and councillors are questioning why the bridge has yet to be constructed.
Concerns have been raised that the delay has increased costs, and some residents say the bridge is urgently needed to relieve traffic as another housing development is proposed off Mane Way. Others, however, question whether a bridge would actually solve the area’s traffic problems.
Cllr Gordon King says Wiltshire Council currently holds up to £4million from developers in a bond, but additional government funding will now be needed to complete the project.
He said, “When the Spinnaker development was built, money was paid into a bond in tranches linked to the phasing of the construction, and this has been added to since. This is money that would normally go into education and school places and other local facilities, but was diverted into a bond to build the bridge.
“No bridge has been built and no mention of the building of the bridge has been expressed. We do not know how much the construction of a bridge would cost, and no design has ever been produced for public examination or consultation.
Cost has escalated
“The cost of the bridge has escalated and the £4million will not now be enough to finance the bridge; it will only be used as the basis for a bid to central government for extra funding.
“You could say I am not best pleased.”
“Throughout this saga Wiltshire Council has remained circumspect about the subject of the bridge and the cabinet member has crucially failed to appraise himself of the facts or realise the public interest or concern regarding the situation they have created. Unless Wiltshire Council acts soon, we are likely to make changes to traffic control systems along Oldfield Road, as traffic has increased year upon year, at significant cost because the much-promised bridge simply refuses to materialise.”
Cllr Sheila Kimmins added, “Both Persimmon and Newland Homes have contributed to the ‘Bridge Fund’ and still there is insufficient money put by.
“I feel sure that Cllr Nick Holder and his team at Wiltshire Council can produce plans; however, will there ever be enough money?
‘Traffic chaos’
In 2016, Westbury Town Council considered plans for the Spinnaker housing development and warned that if the bridge was not built before the new homes it would lead to ‘traffic chaos’ along Oldfield Road.
Now, as plans are announced for another development of up to 350 houses off Mane Way, local residents are calling for the bridge to be built before any more homes are approved, citing concerns over increased traffic in the area.
One resident said, “Build the bridge first before the costs are swallowed up. The Oldfield Road is a nightmare for residents; The whole issue of pollution from traffic needs addressing, we’re choking as a town as it is.”
Another resident of Oldfield Park said, “Please don’t even consider these new houses without the already promised bridge. The traffic and congestion along our road is a nightmare. The last thing we need is many more cars going up and down this road. We were promised a bridge to take the traffic away from Oldfield Road when previous houses were built, we have tried to get answers to when it would be built, but to no avail.”
In 2023 Wiltshire Council reaffirmed its commitment “to complete a bridge over the railway line, primarily using developer funding.” The council added, “The next stage is to have discussions with Network Rail to finalise the design of the bridge and gain their best advice on requirements for trains. The situation is in a good position and residents will be kept updated.”
White Horse News has now asked for the latest update. Cllr Nick Holder, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for highways, said, “We’re currently preparing a detailed design for the bridge which would link Amazon Way within the Spinnaker development to Mane Way. This would help to reduce congestion on Oldfield Road and avoid the need to pass under the low bridge on Station Road.
“While some funding has been secured for this project, further funding will need to be identified before a timescale for the project can be set.”
However, some question whether the bridge will alleviate congestion or merely shift the problem elsewhere. A local resident said on social media, “Doesn’t the new bridge across the railway just funnel the traffic into the other new residential area?”
Mayor Jane Russ criticised the council’s approach, saying, “I don’t think Wiltshire Council have thought this through at all. Why would you put a bridge from Mane Way and run it through the Spinnaker Estate? The whole thing is a complete nonsense.
“The estate already has ‘chicane’ parking issues, with people parking on Amazon Way as they only have parking off road for two cars but have three or even four to a household. Furthermore, there is no dedicated visitor parking at all on the estate.
“Are the people on the Spinnaker estate going to be happy to have masses of traffic trundling passed their windows?
“Wiltshire Council needs to look at doing a proper job, with a bridge that goes over all the railway lines to the west of Spinnaker. It could then spur off to the industrial estate to the east and meet the A36 to the west.”
Pictured: The site for the proposed bridge
