CHIPPENHAM NEWS: FRESH town centre traffic chaos has struck just days after previous road works were cleared away.

Work has been carried out to fill in the subways under the Western Arches in Chippenham town centre for the past three months.

This was completed at the end of last week and New Road was re-opened to traffic.

But on Tuesday a new set of temporary traffic lights were set up on Station Hill, off New Road, leading to traffic once again grinding to a halt.

Shopkeepers in the area say the continual roadworks have put people off visiting Chippen-ham and damaged business.

Janine Dolman, who works in the RSPCA charity shop on New Road, said: "It has been unbelievable.

"One morning it took me 40 minutes to get into work instead of 10.

"Now a man has come in with a piece of paper saying there is going to be more disruption.

"I know the work needed doing and I know they needed to fill in the subways but it seems to go on and on.

"I know Station Hill was a mess but it is so soon after they had finished the last lot of work."

Ben Johnson, who works at BCH Camping 1n New Road, said: "It got so bad that it was on Radio 1 last week, warning people not to come into Chippenham.

"Obviously it needed doing but at the same time they do pick their moments. It's just a nightmare to get into town.

"Everyone who walks through the door has had something to say about it. It's more difficult to get into Chippenham than Bath at the moment so people just don't bother to come."

Residents of one quiet residential road, The Hamlet, said tailbacks were leading drivers to use their road as a shortcut. They were so fed up they presented a petition to Chippenham Town Council in a bid to get a No Entry sign put on their road.

A spokesman for Wiltshire County Council said: "Work around the railway arches and filling in the subway has now been completed. Pedestrians can now cross the road using a pedestrian crossing rather than via the subway.

"Extensive resurfacing work has also been completed in New Road and Ivy Lane and in Sadler's Mead and The Tinings.

"Resurfacing work will also be carried out in Station Hill and part of Cocklebury Road within the next few weeks. We anticipate that the work will take less than a week to complete and it will not involve any road closures. Temporary traffic lights will be in place while the work is carried out."