GAZETTE & HERALD: CHIPPENHAM'S sole traffic warden, Duncan Wostenholme who two years ago brought the town's traffic to a standstill by the unorthodox measure of turning off traffic lights at a major traffic junction is set to quit at the end of the month

The departure of the division's senior traffic warden will leave Chippenham and Corsham with no regular traffic patrols.

Police chiefs say Mr Wostenholme, who has patrolled the town's streets for 19 years, would not be replaced, but warned there would be no let off for motorists committing parking offences.

Mr Wostenholme's approachable, cheery presence will be missed by traders and the public alike..

Two years ago he switched off the traffic lights at the juntion of Gladstone Road and Venue La Fleche, leaving the town gridlocked for hours.

He claimed he was attempting to relieve a traffic jam at the Bridge Centre roundabout caused by roadworks at the junction of Gladstone Road and Avenue La Fleche.

But the tailbacks caused by switching off the lights only made the situation worse and brought almost every route through town to a grinding halt.

Wiltshire County Council was refurbishing the old signals at the roundabout and improving facilities for cyclists and pedestrians at crossing points.

On the morning of the incident in Aril 2002 workmen were digging a trench across Avenue LaFleche and had to close two of three lanes, forcing cars into a single lane.

Within a short time there were vehicles queuing back to PewshamWay, along Timber Street, the High Street and The Causeway. Motorists were also stuck along Ivy Lane and Bath Road.

The road was congested for at least five hours and as frustrated driver's tempers frayed police officers were drafted in to help Mr Wostenholme direct the traffic around the roundabout.

Traffic wardens have gradually been phased out across the county in-line with Government plans to decriminalise parking and let local authorities take over parking offence duties from the police.

Chief Superintendent Amanda Evely said no agreement has yet been reached between North Wiltshire District Council and the police about new arrangements for traffic patrolling.

But a spokesman from North Wiltshire District Council said the council was not aware until yesterday that there would no longer be a traffic warden policing the Chippenham area.

"The responsibility for parking enforcement may be passed from the police to local councils through the decriminalisation of parking, but this has yet to be agreed," the spokesman said.

"We are keen to introduce and take responsibility for a decriminalisation scheme, but in past experience with other district councils this takes approximately one year to implement.

"At the present time there is no such agreement with North Wiltshire District Council or any other district council in Wiltshire. It is therefore unfortunate that the police are moving away from providing the traffic warden resource before we can take responsibilty for it.

"North Wiltshire District Council is currently exploring how to take this forward in North Wiltshire with Wiltshire County Council as the Highways Authority and the Police Authority."

Ch Supt Evely admitted there would be a gap between when Mr Wostenholme quits and when she hoped local authorities would take charge.

She said the change would not put extra pressure on police officers and promised motorists would not be allowed to abuse the situation.

"We hope in the next couple of years to get more uniforms on the street whether police officers, specials or police community support officers, she said."

Ch Supt Evely said Mr Wostenholme's decision to resign was not related to the gradual phasing out of traffic wardens in Wiltshire.

She said the traffic warden successfully applied for a new job with Wiltshire Constabulary's Camera Safety Unit of his own accord, and will leave his old job at the end of this month.

Chippenham's traders, already frustrated by the town's shrinking car parking spaces, said they thought the loss of the traffic warden could only serve to exacerbate the situation.

Chris Burfoot, owner of Pembroke Photography in Upper Market Place, said insufficient monitoring of parking was already a huge problem and the loss of the traffic warden would only make things worse.

"It's half an hour parking outside our shop but people stay there all day," he said.

"The traffic warden was hardly ever here but if he's not here at all it will be ridiculous."