Your bypass questions answered

THE Melksham A350 bypass consultation has thrown up many questions for the community.

In response to the consultation, which lists 18 route options for  the bypass, questions have been raised about the environmental impact of the project, the possibility of a bypass opening the town up for more housing developments, and why Melksham even needs a bypass.

As residents consider their response to the consultation, which is open until Sunday 17th January 2021, Melksham News has put some of those burning questions to Wiltshire Council.

Here are the council’s answers to a selection of questions from readers and Melksham News.

1. Some members of the public have described the number of options being considered as being “overwhelming” and “confusing”. Why were the options not narrowed down first – removing those that are not viable – making the consultation easier to understand and more accessible?

“This is the early stages of the proposed scheme, and so we wanted to establish what stakeholders, businesses and the public think of the various options at this early stage of the process. 

“The process provides an opportunity to present the proposed scheme in an informed manner and to describe the type of options under consideration, and on the impact they are likely to have on the local community. Once this consultation has closed, we will have a better understanding of the community’s views on the various options, and this will help us to inform the adoption of the preferred option. It should also be noted that there will be further consultation in 2021 as we move towards a preferred option.”

2. What will be the impact on housing targets for Melksham? Will a bypass result in ‘infill houses’ on green space on the route?

“Any planning applications would be considered on their merits in accordance with the regulations and relevant guidance and policy. The policy position at present reflects the adopted Core Strategy and this is being reviewed and will result in a revised Local Plan, scheduled to be adopted before commencement of works on site to deliver the scheme. 

“Through development of the Local Plan, a transport evidence base will be produced, and this will propose mitigation measures to support housing development being brought forward. Should the evidence base provide a direct linkage between housing delivery and the need for Wiltshire’s A350 improvement schemes, such as the bypass, then Local Plan policy may reflect this and provide material support for the collection of contributions towards the cost of the scheme. 

“The Local Plan review, which will set out where future developments – such as housing and businesses – may be built within Wiltshire up to 2036, will be open for consultation in the new year.”

3. Some residents have speculated that the scheme is part of Wiltshire Council’s plan to build 70,000 houses along a corridor stretching from Trowbridge through Melksham and Chippenham, to the M4 Junction 17. What is Wiltshire Council’s response to this?

“Please see the response above.”

4. People have said that the very nature of Melksham as a market town will be threatened by the building of thousands of new homes. Michelle Donelan, the local MP, has raised concerns over house building. What is the council’s response to this?

“This will be considered as part of the Local Plan consultation, which is due in early 2021.”

5. Concern has been raised about option 10d, which some say was “hurriedly” added to the consultation. Residents have highlighted that 10c and 10d are “significantly different” but in the consultation are being described as “virtually the same”. Why was the evidence for 10d not researched fully before being presented as an option?

“The possibility of a route south of the canal was suggested at the Melksham Area Board in March 2020, and it was considered appropriate to consider this option at an early stage as it had been suggested. It is important that all options are considered in identifying a preferred option. This option has been fully explored and assessed against the business case criteria, as the other options have.

6. One resident asks, “As the government is making us all go electric surely noise and pollution won’t be an issue in the future – so that can’t be a reason to rip up the countryside?”

“The scheme is a strategic improvement to the important A350 route. Reducing noise and pollution for residents along the existing road is only one of the potential benefits of the scheme. There will still be a need for a significant number of heavy goods vehicles on the route to service the many businesses and residents along the corridor in west Wiltshire.”

7. Another resident has asked, “It seems like Wiltshire Council are only considering eastern routes whatever we say.” What can the council say to alleviate these concerns?

“All options are currently being considered as part of the scheme, and there will be further consultation in 2021 on any preferred option.”

8. And some have highlighted that Wiltshire Council only has funding from the Department of Transport for the two eastern routes around the town; and is therefore only considering these routes. They have described the consultation and the 18 options as “smoke and mirrors” to hide the potential destructiveness of the two eastern routes on the environment. What is Wiltshire Council’s response to this?

“Eastern routes were identified as part of the Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC), which established the strategic need for the scheme. The proposals are now being developed in more detail to identify a preferred option, which is why we have asked for feedback on all the options that are being considered.

9. The proposed route of Wilts & Berks Canal will cross an Eastern bypass. Have the extra costs of this been factored into the costs of the Eastern route?  The route has been protected – but what guarantee is there that the extra money will still be available for the canal to go over / under a bypass?

The potential Wilts & Berks canal route is identified on the constraints plan and arrangements would be made to accommodate it as both schemes develop further.

10. Has Wiltshire Council considered the positive impact that could be gained from co-ordinating the traffic lights at Asda, Bath Road and McDonald’s?  A ‘green light corridor’ with all the lights on green at peak times could considerably improve traffic flow without the need for a bypass.

“The traffic lights at several locations are currently linked to maximise flows through the junctions following the recent Farmers Roundabout improvements.”

11. Also, removing the right-hand turn into Asda from the Beanacre side of town would also significantly improve traffic flow by removing one of the traffic light phases at a fraction of the cost of a new bypass. Have the council considered this?

“Removing the right turn into Asda would result in traffic having to U turn at Farmers Roundabout, which would delay other traffic and reduce capacity at that key junction. This concept was considered and discounted during the development of the design for the recent Farmers Roundabout project.”

• When answering this selection of questions, Wiltshire Council stressed that the project is in its “early stages” and that once this consultation is complete, a shortlist of routes will be created and further engagement will be had with the public and stakeholders.