THE fight to get a pedestrian crossing built on a busy Wroughton road is nearing victory.

For 12 years villagers living in Swindon Road have been calling on Swindon Council to install a crossing.

Now it looks as if one could be put in by June next year.

At an Area Panel South meeting held earlier this week, councils approved initial proposals for the £25,000 crossing.

The decision will now spark a consultation process with residents and councillors all being able to have their say.

Final approval will then be sought from the council cabinet.

In June residents Kevin Hegg, and his wife Erica, both 37, petitioned the council to take action after they were frustrated with having to dodge the traffic.

The couple, who have two children, Abby, aged three, and Molly, 13 months, sent 60 letters to people in Swindon Road and nearby Moore Close and 40 residents backed the call for the crossing.

Kevin says during busy times people have had to wait as long as 20 minutes before they could cross the road safely.

He said: "The situation is horrendous. There are a number of families in both streets who have young children.

"This road is extremely dangerous and people have been knocked down in the past, but nothing has been done for years. It is a long-time in coming."

Coun Brian Ford (Con, Wroughton and Chiseldon) has been backing the residents since concerns were first raised.

He said: "This is something that the residents have been campaigning about for many years.

"The only recent relief they have had is that the road has got so congested it has slowed down a little this is not a long term answer however.

"Traffic in Wroughton has increased heavily and there is nowhere safe to cross the road.

"When people get off at the bus stop on that road, they have nowhere to cross."

The crossing will be paid for using cash donated by developers.

Brian said: "When developers move in and build houses we believe they should help to alleviate the problems that are going to result from that development."

Coun Bill Clark, of Wroughton Parish Council, is delighted with the news, but it says it is overdue.

"My daughter was actually knocked down and injured on this road when she was a child," he said.

"The residents have been campaigning for this for years and at last something is being done."

Kevin Shoesmith