WESBURY residents have contacted the White Horse News about traffic problems near Aldi following a story in our last issue.
White Horse News had previous aired readers’ safety concerns about traffic leaving the Aldi site onto the busy A350, along with concerns over the position of the bus stops near the store.
However, in our last issue, we reported that an independent road safety audit has looked at the store’s junction and has now stated that there are no major road safety issues with the new junction.
Contrary to the road safety report, it appears that Westbury residents do not quite agree with this statement.
Readers have been in contact with us stating that they are still angry and not happy with the conclusions.
Some readers have said they have been, “put off shopping at the store.”
A Dilton Marsh resident has said, “I don’t use the store now quite simply because of the hassle trying to exit the car park, irrespective of whichever way I’m going to turn onto Warminster Road.
“What so-called ‘traffic expert’ decided to site a bus stop smack in the middle of a junction and think it won’t cause a hazard?”
A Warminster Road resident has said, “The traffic on this road is extremely busy and the large vehicles that go thundering down the road are dangerous. Cars should not be allowed to turn right.”
Other readers have expressed feelings that, “It is an accident waiting to happen” and, “I have witnessed several near misses when a child has darted ahead of its parents into the path of a vehicle turning into the entrance. Not all drivers approach the turning into the car park at a sensible speed. It really is an accident waiting to happen.”
Additionally it appears that bad weather makes the junction hazardous as well. Pedestrians’ visibility is said to be reduced and one reader has pointed out that during wet and windy weather, shoppers’ “attention is less focused on the traffic hazards around them due to their attempts to keep dry.”
One Westbury resident has said, “If Aldi is a responsible company, it would do the following immediately:
Put a zebra crossing outside the existing building entrance, to force drivers to consider pedestrians
OR
Consider relocating the door to the building to the other end of the store front, so that it is not adjacent to the junction.”
On the other hand however one reader has said, “The Aldi traffic scheme in Warminster Road is a great success. I would now like to have a similar calming arrangement implemented in Haynes Road at the bus stops adjacent to the pedestrian ways between Morrisons and the High Street car park.”
• What do you think? Are you still worried about the traffic outside Aldi, or do you think the arrangements are satisfactory?
Email us at news@ whitehorsenews.co.uk or write to 31 Market Place, Melksham, SN12 6ES.
