‘All Things Roads’ – an important issue for everyone on Marlborough and last night, at the Town Hall a very well attended event took place.
Chaired by Cllr James Sheppard and organised by Cllr Caroline Thomas, the panel consisted of those involved in managing and forming policy regarding transport and roads in Wiltshire and particularly around here. Devizes MP Danny Kruger was present as a member of the panel, he listened to all of the comments, ideas and pleas from the audience in the Assembly room upstairs in the Town Hall and made note of the issues that really concern his constituents.
Overall it was a very ‘rich’ event. As many aspects covering roads and transport were discussed as was possible in the two hour period of the meeting. Every member of the panel – experts collectively in pretty well all aspects of transport issues – explained what was being done and what was being planned, whilst listening and taking on board some of the real issues being raised by those in the large audience.
The meeting was organised by Caroline Thomas, Town Councillor and Marlborough East Wiltshire Councillor who was recently appointed to the Council Cabinet with responsibility for Transport and Highways, the major elements of her brief.
Other panellists included John Derryman, a member of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s team (Strategic Planning and Performance Officer) with special responsibility for roads and roads safety.
The evening could have had even greater attendance, but ironically a serious accident on the A346 between Marlborough and Ogbourne meant that arterial road was closed, many cars were stuck, for some considerable time and one of the panellists didn’t make it as a result. Ironic, yes, but a first hand example of what this session was all about and why it matters so much to the residents of Marlborough.
Priority issues raised? Difficult to identify which was most important as they all are. Speeding? Congestion? Safety? Air Quality and Pollution? All of those and each one overlapped others.
John Derryman was clear that where speeding was an issue, when raised, it can be addressed by Police checks and community participation through Community Speedwatch. This is happening, and he noted that in one day earlier this month over 200 speeding tickets were issued in Wiltshire whereas at the same time a year ago the most raised in a day was seven. And speeding is one of the central issues as it relates to safety, pollution, and general quality of life for residents, particularly those living in towns or rural villages where speeding vehicles are a real problem. His advice – or a bit stronger than that was that if there is a real speed issue, then residents should in the first instance take the problem to their local Parish / Town Council who will then raise it with his team and then something can (and will) be done.
HGVs are a blight on the roads around Marlborough, although they do perform a vital role. But it was noted that many, trying to get through this area will take what they regard – or believe to be – the shortest/quickest route. Whilst HGV Sat Nav devices in UK lorries are clear about roads that should be used, non-UK HGVs tend to go for domestic car Sat Nav devices which in many cases direct the trunk down minor roads. How often have villagers seen a large articulated foreign truck passing their front gate? It happens, it shouldn’t and some action is being discussed regarding how to deal with it. Also our roads, particularly the North-South A346. Whilst longer distance trucks going East-West will use the M4, there isn’t such an obvious alternative in the other plane.
One of Danny Kruger’s points was that the A346 (and A338 which is part of the same route) should not be used as a trunk route for HGV traffic from Dorset to the M4, something that creates problems (it is used this way at present). It’s one of the issues that is being addressed at central Government level so it will be changed, with the heavy traffic likely being directed via the A350 instead.
Caroline Thomas raised the issue of the former Honda site being used as a stop for HGVs and the objections submitted to Planning as such use of this area would have a serious impact on the volume of HGV traffic on the A346. And the need to resurface Herd St which is breaking up badly in places due to the heavy HGVs going up and down. She also raised the problems of the utility companies. Thames Water being an obvious ‘culprit’, digging whatever, wherever and responsible for all but closing off Mildenhall last week (unexpectedly), even though the work had been scheduled for January – but mysteriously it didn’t happen then.
‘Why do HGV’s in this country run between Friday afternoon and Monday morning?’ was a question raised by several in the audience. In France and other parts of Europe, they don’t. Unless there is a demonstrable local need. So the roads elsewhere over the channel are free of the heavy stuff at the weekend.
There was plenty more: one resident of Kingsbury Street complained about the ‘effect’ (or lack of) of the 20mph limit on that hill. Enforcement required, maybe a permanent SID (Speed Indication Device) that tells drivers they are exceeding the limit? And the next generation devices may even offer an enforcement capability.
The issue of Granham Hill and the danger posed by buses, vans and trucks potentially being out of control and running over the verge. It happens, as a resident of the lower end of Granham Hill explained, showing photos of where the wider trucks and vehicles have done exactly that in recent times, and this as been made much worse since the old industrial/office units were demolished and the entrance to that area closed, thus restricting the width of what was already a narrow and busy road even further.
Lots else was raised and discussed, too much to mention in this report but the depth of knowledge demonstrated by the panel, the range and relevance of the questions raised by the audience just showed how important this broad issue is to those living in and around Marlborough. Hopefully there will be a follow-up session in the not-too-distant future where progress can be discussed, and newly relevant problems highlighted as it’s all around us, but as noted above, last night was a ‘rich’ and welcome meeting.
First joint exhibition by two Marlborough artists
