RESIDENTS of Lakeside View and Slag Lane claim that consequences of the roadworks opposite the Railway Inn has left the area ‘overwhelmed with traffic’ issues that are putting people’s lives at risk and damaging the roads.
The developed area of Slag Lane, which is now occupied by the Lakeside View housing estate, is causing concern for residents who say that they have to deal with a number of traffic-related issues on a daily basis.
For the past two months Slag Lane has been overwhelmed with traffic as a consequence of the roadworks opposite the Railway Inn on Station Road. It has become a popular area for speeding, a ‘test track’ for illegal cars, illegal use of Hawkeridge Road as a shortcut around the traffic lights and a exit route for HGVs who have misread the weight restriction imposed on the nearby bridge.
All of these have therefore caused the roads to become damaged with potholes, grass verges coming away from the lake and an excess of noise and pollution.
Cllr Ward Jones, a resident of Lakeside View, said, “While these issues can be expected to reduce somewhat now the works are completed, the traffic volumes are still significant and the consequences unacceptable.
“It is used constantly by people from houses on the Lakeside View estate to walk into town and their lives are put at risk by the volume of traffic using the route as a shortcut.
“If you were to talk about this area six or seven years ago, you would be talking about a lane and derelict land, we are now talking about an area with over 100 homes, so it is a radically different place.
“We fear that something terrible will happen, it’s not a safe place to live, the whole area needs to be reviewed and it’s something that needs to be done now. There is serious potential for something pretty nasty happening and it’s not nice for the residents.
“Because the issues are so complex and there are so many issues involved, we don’t think there is one solution, we need people on site, experts from Wiltshire Council to talk through what are the possibilities.”
Geoff Darling, a resident of Lakeside View on Slag Lane said, “My concerns are; I moved to Westbury four years ago onto the Lakeside View site, Slag Lane up until then was just a lane but due to the planning permission for the new housing and lack of forward thinking regarding infrastructure and roads, it has now turned into a major road with all the risks that follows from that.
“The White Horse View estate is also adding to our problems and I have grave concerns that the new development on Station Road, when complete, will add to the traffic when they use Slag Lane to reach the other side of town.
“I did a survey and counted 128 vehicles in half an hour that passed my house on the lane. This was during the work on the roundabout for the new housing, but it is just as bad now they’ve finished.”
Cllr Ward Jones and Geoff Darling approached Westbury Town Council during the highways, planning and development meeting on Monday 15th April to discuss a possible site visit with town councillors, unitary councillors and experts from Wiltshire Council, to discuss possible traffic calming solutions and an evaluation of the signage leading up to the weight-restricted bridge.
