A LOCAL resident has offered to donate a piece of their land to help improve the safety of pedestrians on a “dangerously” narrow pavement.
The pavement in question is opposite the service station at the junction of Snarlton Lane and Sandridge Road.
The resident has told Melksham Town Council that they are concerned about the safety of the public, and has offered to donate a piece of their land to widen the pavement on Sandridge Road and create a “curve” where it meets a walkway that leads through to Maple Close.
“There are lorries passing at speed and within inches of pedestrians,” said mayor, cllr Pat Aves, at a town council meeting last month. “It’s an accident waiting to happen.”
Cllr Ave’s report to the town council about the dangers of the pavement said, “At present it is impossible to see around the corner and see what is coming.
“Traffic passes very close to the people on the pavement because it is so narrow at that point (and is often speeding up after having negotiated the nearby small roundabout opposite the Foresters). Wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs have no option but to drop onto the road in order to negotiate the right-hand turn onto the pavement from the walkway. It just isn’t wide enough for them.
“Most concerning of all, there is no barrier to prevent children or cyclists from unknowingly dropping off the edge of the path into oncoming traffic, which they can’t see coming.
“The whole area is quite a dangerous spot. It is one that was once a very quiet area but is now a very busy one, but which has not been updated at all to cope with the increase of traffic now passing through. This will be worse in view of the new houses yet to be built in the area, and the likelihood of increased pedestrian traffic from the new houses to the nearby Co-op. I believe it is worthy of a complete review by highways.”
At the meeting, councillors agreed to refer the matter to Melksham’s comm- unity area transport group (CATG), explaining that either the town council or the resident will cover the cost of legal fees for the land dedication process, and the replacement of the resident’s hedge.
“It would be money well spent if it means ensuring the safety of the community,” said cllr Hayley Illman.
