WESTBURY’S decades old bypass debate has erupted once more as a recent Wiltshire Council A350 traffic survey indicated the high volume of traffic using the route through the town. Local residents and councillors say that a bypass is needed now more than ever.
Wiltshire Council’s survey was in fact carried out to check the average speed of traffic on Trowbridge Road to see if it qualified for Speedwatch enforcement. Although the results indicated that the road did not qualify, with 85% of the traffic travelling at below 32mph, the sample which was taken showed that 44,163 vehicles used the road in a single week in June.
Barbara Foster, who lives on Fore Street said, “Over 44,000 vehicles in a week is unbelievable.”
Leslie Fry of Haynes Road wrote to the White Horse News saying, “After all this time I cannot see Westbury having a bypass, as much as it hurts me to say it.
“I would be interested to know what Westbury councillors are doing to protect people affected by the A350.”
Town and Wiltshire councillor David Jenkins, who asked for the speed survey to be conducted said, “I arranged for the traffic count on Trowbridge Road because of traffic problems, but unfortunately the results failed to reach the speedwatch limit.
“I support a bypass or a road relief scheme and I will continue to lobby the council and influence where I can. However, it is just a question of convincing the government to give the request priority.”
The mayor and other local councillors say they have not given up hope and believe that Westbury will one day have a bypass.
Mayor of Westbury, cllr Christine Mitchell said, “I have always been in favour of a bypass. Discussions and consultations have been going on a long time now, and I would like to see positive moves to alleviate the problems for residents living along the A350.”
Cllr Sue Ezra said, “I have lived in Westbury almost 31 years and the discussion has been ongoing all that time.
“Westbury needs a bypass, and whilst I would love to wave a magic wand, it will be Wiltshire Council that needs to press ahead and make a decision.”
Cllr Russell Hawker, chair of the highways committee believes that Wiltshire Council will soon be forced to act.
“There is currently no funding for a bypass, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen; I believe it will. Importantly, the local view is strongly in favour of a bypass,” he said.
“By far the majority of objection letters to the 2007 proposal were from campaigners outside of the BA13 area. Local residents were overwhelmingly in support of the plans.
“The reality is that traffic will continue to increase and pressure will continue to grow on County Hall until some sort of bypass is in place.
“Additionally, people trying to rule out a certain route is nonsensical. If the authorities are to consider a bypass at all they will have to examine every possibility.”
The White Horse Alliance say that Wiltshire Council has already spent £5million on consultations, and will soon be lobbying for a further £1million to continue.
Leslie Fry, who believes that a solution must be found said, “Opposing something is easy but putting effort to solve a problem is never so appealing. Respectfully those of you who oppose a bypass, please come up with a solution.”
