MP asks Minister for meeting to discuss Westbury bypass

He has asked Transport Minister Guy Opperman when National Highways’ study into linking the M4 with the south coast will be published.

He says the town “urgently” needs a Western Bypass to relieve the huge volume of traffic going through Westbury on the A350.

The town lies on the main trunk road connecting the M4 motorway with the south coast and faces thousands of vehicles a day going through.

These include heavy goods vehicles, light vans and cars travelling from the M4 near Chippenham towards Warminster and beyond.

Heavy Goods Vehicle on A350 at Westbury Photo: Trevor Porter 67260-4 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Dr Murrison said: “Westbury needs a western bypass urgently. The M4-Dorset Coast Study is central to achieving it.

“I hope we will have some positive news shortly but share my constituents’ frustration of the time National Highways is taking to conclude its report.” 

Dr Murrison revealed he has received a response to his letter to the Department for Transport.

In his response, Mr Opperman says that he is still awaiting National Highways’ recommendations to inform the next five-year road investment strategy. 

Dr Murrison said he has requested a meeting with Mr Opperman to discuss the study and Westbury’s long overdue bypass. 

Heavy Goods Vehicle on A350 at Westbury Photo: Trevor Porter 67260-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

The western scheme included a bypass of the long-standing bottleneck tailbacks on the A350 at Yarnbrook on the outskirts of Trowbridge.

Campaigners say Westbury main-line railway station desperately needs a decent access road and that if a road-to-rail freight interchange at the Westbury railway hub was developed it would cut much of the congestion and benefit the environment.

In the meantime, hundreds of new homes are being built in the Westbury area, potentially blocking any route options likely to be proposed for a town bypass.

A public inquiry was held in June 2008 into a proposed eastern bypass, which recommended Wiltshire Council to refuse planning permission.

Members of the White Horse Alliance had objected strongly to the scheme and the scheme's rejection was endorsed by the Government.  

Since 2008, little has been done near Westbury to redirect long distance lorries to/from the M4 by other than by using the A350.

The new Clean Air Zone and the weight restriction on the Cleveland Bridge in Bath has also made the situation worse, with more traffic now being re-routed to the A36 Bath-Warminster road and the A350 to avoid the city.