Angry driver says Melksham relief road opening delay is a 'shambles'

Gary Fossey, 59, who runs the Automatically Shamrock Driving School in Melksham, says the council should give a firm commitment to open the road by Friday, November 1.

He has described the delays as a 'farcical situation' when the Spa Road roundabout has already opened but traffic is still unable to use the relief road.

He has asked the council's cabinet member for highways, Cllr Nick Holder, for a commitment to open the road.

Driving instructor Gary Fossey is not happy about the failure to open the Melksham East Relief Road at the same time as the roundabout. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mr Fossey, of Marigold Close, Melksham, said: "The purpose of building the roundabout was solely to facilitate the relief road. 

“This is a farcical and omnishambles of a situation with the ‘abandoned’ roundabout morphing into a ‘pointless’ one."

The extension of Eastern Way was expected to open when the Spa Road roundabout, which took two years to complete, was finished.

But Wiltshire Council says the relief road may not open until December this year, leaving locals frustrated and angry about the delays.

 They say the relief road would alleviate the volume of traffic using Snowberry Lane and claim vibration from HGVs is causing structural damage to nearby homes. 

Mr Fossey said: "It is evident that houses alongside Snowberry Lane physically shake with the lorries driving past, often above the speed limit, and that structural damage has been caused to some houses."

He claims the council should offer residents financial compensation for the nuisance caused by the ongoing delays in opening the relief road - a suggestion Cllr Holder has rejected.

Angry residents are frustrated about the delays in opening the Melksham East Relief Road when the Spa Road roundabout is in use. (Image: Trevor Porter)

The residents’ campaign to get the relief road opened quickly is being backed by local MP Brian Mathew and town councillors.

But Cllr Nick Holder says he cannot give a ‘personal commitment’ to opening the road by those deadlines because part of the work required is outside the council’s control.

Works not yet completed include final surfacing, commissioning and operation of the Puffin crossing link to Melksham Oak, and an enforceable speed limit order being made. 

Telecommunications giant Openreach is also working to install telephone and internet infrastructure along the road.

Cllr Holder said: “Now that the Spa Road roundabout in Melksham has been opened for use, our officers are working hard with the developer to complete the final works required to be in a position to open the new link road to through traffic and alleviate the high volume of traffic currently using Snowberry Lane.

“The compound being used by the contractors that is currently situated on the new link road, will now be demobilised off the site. This will then allow for the western end of the road to be resurfaced and for the Toucan crossing to be completed.

“While we are keen to open the route as quickly as possible; the outstanding actions must be completed and signed off to ensure the safety of all users before we can progress. As we have confirmed previously, we hope to have this new road open as soon as possible.”