Residents were shocked to see a no cycling sign on what they believed was an approved cycle path.

People living in the town say that the path, which runs by the town’s cemetery and Old Court park, has been an approved cycle path for several years - and they were not made aware that this was changing.

But according to Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council the path has always been a no-cycle zone and it has simply updated the sign.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald: The sign was first spotted by locals earlier this week.The sign was first spotted by locals earlier this week. (Image: Luke Edwards)

"The path has been a cycle path for as long as I've know," said Luke Edwards, who spotted the new sign.

"It is regularly used by children and adults on bikes, and I have also used it as a cycle path myself.

"There are very few cycle paths in Royal Wootton Bassett so when one is shut down you tend to notice," he added.

“Signs like this new one send out the wrong message and shows that the priority is to prevent cycling in the town rather than support it."

But in a statement from Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council said: "An old no cycling sign has simply been replaced with a new no cycling sign, following a complaint from a resident that the sign was not clear."

It claims the path was never intended for cycling at all.

"It is quite disappointing that in all the years of campaigning and activity to put safe routes in place, the only actual thing that has changed on the ground is this no cycling sign," said Dave Knight, who has been campaigning for an active travel cycle route that would replace this path.

The lack of official cycle paths in Royal Wootton Bassett has been a common resident complaint for years.

In 2022, it was reported that a cycleway over the M4 was being planned and the path, which was still at the design stage, was expected to be completed in early 2023.

But construction of the cycle path has still not begun, and according to Wiltshire Council’s latest update, work is now set to begin in early 2024.

The council wrote: “The current route is reliant on third party land agreements being in place to secure the most effective route between Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon. To date the land agreements have not been completed and remain a key risk to the delivery of this project.

“The project will also need to secure planning permission and finalise the funding sources for construction once the land agreements have been finalised."