PARISH councillors in Pewsey fear a scheme intended to make roads safer has created a death trap.

Tomorrow sees the launch of the Pewsey Vale Quiet Lanes project, one of two pilot schemes in the UK where Government cash has been given to provide traffic calming measures.

The idea is to slow down drivers, discourage through traffic and make the country lanes safer for the users including cyclists and horse riders.

It will be will be formally launched tomorrow at Wilcot.

But at Tuesday's parish council meeting, councillors slammed a new artificial chicane that Wiltshire County Council has built in Wilcot Road outside Pewsey's cemetery.

Coun Bert Shorter said: "We should warn Wiltshire County Council that they have put a death trap right outside the cemetery."

Coun Phil Stevens also voiced concerns. He said: "It will be a very quiet lane because we will have a dead person there."

Council chairman Alex Carder said he was disgusted that money was available for the quiet lanes project while none was available for ordinary road maintenance.

"I am spitting blood that they can find money for schemes like this but not for the roads maintenance we have been asking for," he said.