Councillor calls for improvements at congested school entrance

A local councillor is pushing for a solution to the ‘traffic chaos’ at the entrance to Melksham Oak Community School following repeated concerns from residents.

Community School following repeated concerns from residents.

Cllr Jon Hubbard has said that the current T-junction at the school entrance is failing to manage the high volume of traffic during peak drop-off and pick-up times, causing significant delays, frustration, and safety risks for parents, students and local residents.

To address the issue, he is proposing the construction of a roundabout at the junction, funded through Section 106 money—contributions from housing developers for community infrastructure—allocated from ongoing housing developments in Melksham.

“For years, the entrance to Melksham Oak School has been plagued by traffic problems,” Cllr Hubbard said. “The simple T-junction connecting the school to the busy A365 Bath Road is completely inadequate for handling the sheer volume of cars, leading to long queues and potentially dangerous situations.”

Cllr Hubbard says that the junction has become a bottleneck, with a large volume of cars entering and exiting the school grounds during peak hours, creating traffic jams as vehicles struggle to merge onto the A365.

“One parent told me it took them half an hour just to get out of the school car park,” Cllr Hubbard explained. “It’s just ridiculous, and we need to find a solution that works.”

The issue has been a concern among residents for years and Cllr Hubbard said it was frequently raised during his time as a school governor. He said, “It continues to be a key concern for residents in my division and I believe we need to tackle the root cause of the problem.   

A roundabout, he argues, would provide a proven solution, having worked effectively in similar situations elsewhere. Cllr Hubbard is requesting that Melksham Town Council refer the matter to the Local Highways and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG) for detailed consideration.

“The opportunity to fund this improvement already exists,” he said. “Section 106 agreements—money developers are required to contribute for local infrastructure improvements—are designed to mitigate the impact of development. With the significant increase in housing in Melksham, these contributions should be used to address the real and pressing issues caused by this growth.”