Coped Hall road closure: Lydiard Park Academy pupils delayed

Coped Hall, which connects Royal Wootton Bassett to Hook, Purton and Lydiard Millicent, was closed from Monday, November 18, while mains replacement works were carried out.

The closure was originally planned to be a full closure lasting four weeks, with a 7.5 mile diversion route in place, and was declared an "absolute nightmare" and "completely insane" by local commuters.

After increasing pressure from Royal Wootton Bassett residents, Wiltshire Council agreed to bring in additional help to try and get the works finished sooner.

But the impact on teachers and schoolchildren in the area is already being felt.

In a statement to the public, a spokesperson for Lydiard Park Academy in Swindon said: "Today, several pupils and staff were affected arriving to school on time.

"Please be aware that due to a road closure between Royal Wootton Bassett and Hook, travel times have been affected in the local area.

"Please allow extra time for your journey over potentially the next four weeks while works continue."

The diversion route put in place (Image: One Network) The diversion route means that those who would usually travel along Coped Hall and Hook Road to reach Lydiard Park Academy will now have to go along Swindon Road, cross the M4, and then travel through Swindon along Whitehill Way and Tewkesbury Way.

Despite the impact on the community and schools, Wiltshire Council is insistent that it is doing all it can to minimise the affect of this necessary road closure:

In an email to Councillor Steve Bucknell, a spokesperson for Wiltshire Council said: "We had a good meeting with Wales and West yesterday and they have agreed to bring in some additional resources at the expense of other planned works from Tuesday to Sunday next week.

"This team will work on the Royal Wootton Bassett side of the roundabout.

"If all goes to plan by midweek the following week or sooner, work on Hook side of the roundabout will be complete and the road will be opened.

"The three-way traffic system will be reduced to two-way on the Royal Wootton Bassett side to complete the laying of the new main and tying in with the works they completed in the summer."

Councillor Bucknell has publicly declared this as a "result" for the town, adding: "Hopefully Hook Road will be open much sooner than feared, and the the road works will be less intrusive.

"Let’s keep our fingers crossed."

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