Marlborough Traffic disruption – recent Salisbury Rd works – open letter from Mayor Kym-Marie Cleasby

Marlborough Residents Express Outrage Over Disruptive Roadworks on Salisbury Hill

Marlborough, 31st July 2024 – The roadworks on Salisbury Hill have sparked significant disruption and serious concerns among the residents, business owners, and visitors of Marlborough. The situation, described by many as chaotic and poorly managed, has led to a formal complaint highlighting a range of issues.

Residents have reported that traffic lights and related equipment are being set up a full 24 hours before any actual work begins. This premature setup is causing severe traffic delays and confusion, inconveniencing road users without any visible progress on the roadworks. One resident stated, “The early installation of traffic management systems is highly disruptive and causes undue frustration for motorists.”

The past weekend saw the use of inadequate equipment, leading to dangerous conditions for motorists and culminating in the premature closure of the road. “The safety of road users should be a paramount concern,” a local business owner remarked. “The use of substandard equipment is unacceptable and endangers lives while exacerbating the inconvenience caused to the public.”

Salisbury Hill is a crucial arterial route through Marlborough, connecting the town to the rest of the county. Disruptions on this road have far-reaching implications, affecting the flow of traffic throughout Marlborough and beyond. The importance of this route necessitates careful planning and execution of any roadworks to minimize disruptions.

Local businesses, particularly those in the business park at the top of Salisbury Hill and the Tesco store, have been severely affected by the erratic and poorly managed roadworks conducted by various contractors. These disruptions have led to a significant loss of business, with customers deterred by the chaotic traffic conditions. Tesco, an essential store for many less well-off residents, has been particularly impacted, causing distress to those who rely on it for their shopping needs.

The ongoing roadworks are also affecting Marlborough’s ability to host tourists and shoppers from surrounding villages. The town’s economy, heavily reliant on visitors, is suffering as the current state of the roadworks deters tourists and shoppers, causing further economic harm.

In light of these issues, residents are demanding to know who is responsible for coordinating the roadworks and who holds the authority to address the issues of highway works and permissions in Marlborough. They are urging Wiltshire Council to take immediate action to improve the planning and execution of roadworks in Marlborough.

“The residents, business owners, and visitors deserve a more efficient and considerate approach to these essential works,” the formal complaint states. With the situation becoming increasingly urgent, the complaint is set to be brought to the attention of the full council as soon as possible in hopes of garnering additional support for these concerns.

Time is of the essence to prevent further disruption and economic damage to this beleaguered town.

Ed Note: Thanks to Mayor Kym-Marie Cleasby for raising this as a real issue. Unfortunately much of the disruption we endure nowadays isn’t news. It’s an everyday feature of our lives. Many disruptions are caused by ‘phantom’ roadworks….. Lights appear, are activated, barriers also appear (sometimes) and then workmen may appear and start work. Or – in too many instances – no workmen appear and days later the lights and barriers are removed. Then ‘back to normal’.

When we (Marlborough.news) question Wiltshire Council (responsible for co-ordination of all roadworks) or their representatives regarding any works we get referred to ‘one.network‘. All such works are meant to be listed with details. Many are, but not all. Recently the eastern end of George Lane was closed (not for the crash into the first house) but that wasn’t listed. And this was when Salisbury Rd was shut for the Thames Water works. Too much happens, unannounced and in an uncoordinated way with separate contemporary works conflicting to create greater chaos.

Traffic disruption due to roadworks in and around Marlborough is a major issue for us all, it blights our lives. Well done to Mayor Kym-Marie for shouting about this, is Wiltshire Council listening…….?