CHIPPENHAM NEWS: MURKY subways used by pedestrians to avoid the Ivy Lane loop in Chippenham have closed to the public. Wiltshire County Council is now filling the subways beneath the Western Arches with concrete.

The subways will be replaced by street level pedestrian crossings on Ivy Lane and New Road.

Temporary crossings have been installed for the next 10 weeks until work is completed.

A spokesman for Wiltshire County Council said: "We are trying to keep the disruption to a minimum and ask people to bear with us.

"We know how disruptive it can be during peak times but work needs to be done and it would not be safe to do it with the road open."

The project, funded by Wiltshire County Council, Chippenham Town Council developers HPH, Network Rail and the Railway Heritage Trust is part of a major overhaul of Brunel's 19th century Western Arches.

The Ivy Lane loop road will close for up to 10 weeks from Monday, with a one-way system imposed until work is completed.