PLANS for the completion of an inner relief road in Trowbridge look set to be abandoned after remaining in limbo for decades.

Wiltshire County Council's highways department has proposed abandoning the plans to complete the road and to sell off land for affordable housing, in a move welcomed in the town.

Cllr Jeff Osborn, right, a town councillor and West Wiltshire District Council's planning and development portfolio holder, said: "I would wholeheartedly support the taking out of the inner relief road from any existing county and district plans.

"Releasing the land for housing will not only improve the street scene and urban layout but also enable the district council to reduce the numbers on the housing waiting list.

"This is growing daily as the affordability gap between local wage rates and house prices constantly increases. Let's do this pronto."

The county council completed stages one and two of the ring road nearly 15 years ago but the final two stages, linking the Halve to Timbrell Street and Islington and the improving of Prospect Place, British Row and the one-way system around the old bus station was never done.

Since that time the focus of development in the town has moved away from the Canal Road area and the completion of the road was put on the back burner.

But the land needed for the road has remained in local plans so has not been available for other developments.

It was thought by some that the construction of the relief road could be an alternative to the controversial Hilperton Gap road but this was dismissed by an inquiry and the Hilperton road was given the go-ahead last year.

The district council would now like to use major areas of the land earmarked for the road as part of the PFI housing scheme to provide much-needed affordable homes in the town.

County council highway improvements manager Tim Jones has asked councillors for their comments on the proposal to sell off the land.

He said: "There no longer appears to be a need for the remaining sections of the inner relief road to be constructed."

Meanwhile some residents in Hilperton are still waiting for the relief road to tackle huge traffic problems in the village.

Campaigner Chris Roberts from the Hilperton Action Group said: "We feel the traffic is getting worse and there is no news of a start date."

Some initial survey work for the road has been carried out but it could be several years before construction on the road begins.