WILTSHIRE County Council has rejected a plea by driver Dale Wyatt to keep open Green Lane, Devizes, to cars.

Part of Green Lane is closed to vehicular traffic to stop it becoming a rat run while houses are built at the former Roundway Hospital site.

Access to the site and to Green Lane Hospital is now from Nursteed Road along Marshall Road.

Wiltshire County Council, as highway authority, was asked by motorist Mr Wyatt, of Church Road, Hilmarton to reconsider the part closure of Green.

Mr Wyatt, who represents the Green Lane Association, objected to the closure saying that it would result in the loss of an ancient right of way as a through route.

Mr Wyatt said he liked to drive along Green Lane on his way to Salisbury Plain as a way of bypassing the centre of Devizes.

The county council's regulatory committee rejected Mr Wyatt's objection.

Highway boss George Batten said the prevention of through traffic is a condition of the planning permission given to the developers of the former hospital site and the aim of it was to stop Green Lane being used as a rat run.