Wiltshire Council have been granted nearly £6.98 million, to help make the A3102 in Wiltshire safer for all road users. The A3102, between Junction 16 of the M4 near Swindon to the A350 in Melksham, via Royal Wootton Bassett and Calne, was apparently identified through the Road Safety Foundation analysis.
This scheme should include a range of safety measures, such as improving signage and road markings, and redesigning some junctions. Visit the Interactive Map and the Wiltshire Council website (here) for more information
Wiltshire Council have already started preliminary works on this scheme, with a focus on using some of this money doing what I think should have already been done and should be considered regular maintenance. This includes such work as cutting back hedges and trees to improve visibility at various points along the road, including at junctions and refreshing and renewing white lines and signs.
Thirty-Five locations have been selected, but no information has been provided as to why these locations were selected and why others have been excluded. Where was the consultation with residents, users, or other stake holders?
Three key areas in and around Calne, which would have benefitted from safety improvements are missing or incorrect in my personal view.
- A3102 Junction with Stickleback Rd – Around 10 years ago, this was the site of a fatal accident involving a motorcyclist. This schemes solution is to put a side road parallel crossing for improved pedestrian and cycle safety. This could potentially mean traffic queueing back on the A3102 increasing both congestion and risk.
- A3102 Junction with the A4 at the Former White Hart Public House – This seems an obvious area for safety improvements. Hundreds of school children cross here every school day and the central refuge for them to wait in is miniscule, particularly considering the number of HGVs that use this route. For this location to not have been considered at all, is just barking mad!
- A3102 Mile Elm Road – There have been several fatal accidents along this road over the years, and it is still used to this day like a racetrack at times. The schemes only solution is to improve the road markings at the Whetham Bends (Sandy Lane) end of the straight, and nothing at the Calne end, which is where one of the fatal accidents occurred.
Of course, I do not have any issue if central government wants to give us more free cash to spend, the more the merrier please. However, it’s still taxpayer money, it’s not actually free, and it should be spent wisely and not just randomly as this seems to be.