MELKSHAM’S football and rugby fans are asking for the temporary road leading to Oakfield Stadium to be repaired, calling it unfit for purpose.
The football and rugby clubs both moved into the brand new facilities in January this year. The road leading to the facility was left with a temporary surface, with plans for a permanent road currently on hold until work begins on the new housing development next to the stadium.
In the meantime, constant use of the temporary road has disrupted the surface, leaving it uneven with numerous potholes and loose stones and gravel.
“Some of the taxi firms are refusing to drive along it as for the damage it is doing to their cars,” said local man Nigel Barnes on the Sham Shout Outs Facebook page.
Exhibitors planning to use the facilities for events are also worried about the state of the road. Hilary Henley said, “Not good for transporting wedding cakes over for the wedding fayre coming up.”
With complaints about the road on the rise, Melksham Town Football Club has reached out to Wiltshire Council for a solution. Darren Perrin, chairman of Melksham Town Football Club said, “We have had numerous complaints that it is unsuitable. We are hoping that major improvements will begin soon.”
David Wiltshire, director of Melksham Town Football Club added, “We have been on to the council for a few weeks now. They have told us that it is a high priority and that it should be repaired, but we don’t know when that will happen.
“The grounds are not 12 months old yet and that drive was never fit for purpose. It should never have been signed off in the first place.
“We believe that Wiltshire Council are in negotiations with the contractor.”
A Wiltshire Council spokesperson said, “We would like to apologise that the temporary road leading to Oakfields is in a poor state of repair. Further repairs will be carried out in the coming days, and a new permanent road will be installed as part of the local housing development adjacent to the Oakfields site”.
