SPEEDING concerns in the Slag Lane/Frogmore Road/ Hawkeridge Road area was recently discussed by Westbury Town Council’s highways, planning and development (HP&S) committee, following the rejection of their road improvement scheme in January.
The town council has asked for the scheme to be reviewed to ensure that all options put forward are the most appropriate for the area. The council says that an ‘origin and destination’ survey needs to be carried out, which will determine the volume of traffic that goes through Slag Lane and Frogmore Road. Wiltshire Council has agreed to contribute to the costs of the survey, which totals £3,500. Westbury Town Council will pay 30% (£1,050). Councillors hope they can put forward a new road improvement scheme that will be accepted by Wiltshire Council. The scheme was previously rejected as the area was not deemed a priority.
Part of the plans to reduce speeding includes installing an ANPR system that would photograph and fine any motorist using The Ham’s bus only gate as a rat run to Slag Lane/Frogmore Road. The town council says the costs for installing the system is £20,000 and it will go to the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG) of Wiltshire Council for review.
Chair of the HP&D committee, cllr Mike Sutton said, “This would be a vast improvement to the traffic hurtling down Hawkeridge Road and into Slag Lane and Rosefield Way.”
If the ANPR is installed, the money gained from the fines would revert back to Wiltshire Council as they will own the system, but payment for the construction of the service will fall on the shoulders of the town council.
Pictured: Hawkeridge Road bus only gate. Photo from Google Maps.
