Dear Sir
Whilst it was very pleasing to see on the front page of the last issue that councillor Whitehead of Wiltshire Council is concerned about the problems of Westbury, particularly traffic and pollution, I fear it may turn out to be rhetoric rather than substance.
We are told a bid may be applied for a by-pass in the next round of spending some time after 2025 but even if accepted, it is likely to take another 5 years for construction to be completed.
It is dependent on the government of the day having the same priorities and as we are constantly being told, after the pandemic it will be whether there is any money available for large projects. By that time a government may also decide that climate change and the future of the planet is more important than road construction, so it is not definite. I would also like to point out that we don’t need a mega by-pass, a link road in and out of the industrial estate would be of great benefit.
Westbury is one of the top six locations in Wiltshire for poor air quality and breathing in particles that build up in the body over time is not what we would like to be doing for the next ten years, particularly children and those with respiratory problems.
We have had enough promises of jam tomorrow, how about some bread today?
Interestingly 2 days before the piece appeared in the White Horse News our MP contacted the council to offer his help with any problems the town is experiencing. I cannot help wondering what has prompted this outpouring of concern for Westbury albeit belated.
However I am grateful for Wiltshire Council’s concern and hope that concern will be translated into action when the Wiltshire planners come to decide on our objections to the Incinerator. Actions will speak louder than words.
Cllr. Mike Sutton,
Westbury.
