Conservative candidate Roy Hayward, who owns the Bridge Tea Rooms, says the Ideal Bradford-led town council failed to publish a crucial document relating to the £30,000 social distancing scheme introduced on August 20 last year.

The scheme aimed to improve social distancing for pedestrians and cyclists to comply with the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic regulations.

But it was greeted by a huge outcry after traffic lights on the town bridge caused congestion and long delays for motorists passing through.

The lights were dismantled two weeks later after a request from Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan who had received hundreds of complaints.

Mr Hayward said: “Wiltshire Council’s social distancing traffic proposals should have been made available to the public on the agenda and minutes of the 12th May town council meeting.

“This is the meeting where Bradford on Avon Town Council opted for the traffic lights on the bridge and one-way system.”

Mr Hayward said he had received confirmation from an independent councillor that town clerk Sandra Bartlett could not explain why they were not made public at the time.

Wiltshire Council provided several options in the document for councillors to consider, including the use of traffic lights on the town bridge.

At the council’s virtual extraordinary Highways & Transport Committee meeting on May 12, councillors voted for the temporary widening of the east side footway on the Town Bridge, together with narrowing of the carriageway and single line working of traffic using a one-way system.

Mr Hayward said: “The document and the different traffic options were not released with the minutes. This decision was ratified at a full meeting of the council.”

The decision had a huge impact on traffic flow and bus services and led to strong criticism of the council and the project from some sections of the local community.

Mr Hayward added: “Clearly, the Wiltshire Council social distancing traffic proposals document was withheld from the public.

“If Bradford on Avon residents were aware of the way our local councillors were handling things and why they made the decisions they did, there would have been trust and confidence in those councillors. It also needs to be stressed that the implications of this decision are still being felt.

“I commend the Lib Dems for making a manifesto pledge to improve town council print and online communications and look forward to working alongside them in this desire."

He has now called for the council to make its website easier to navigate and for the publication of all relevant documentation.

He wants the council to publish a reports pack for key decisions, together with the agenda, and for this information to be released within the required three clear days, though good practice would be between five and seven days.