OLD TOWN residents and business owners have threatened to set up road-blocks in protest over a new traffic light junction.

Meeting face-to-face with council traffic officers at the junction between Newport Street and Devizes Road, shopkeepers, parents and other residents warned that unless something is done to improve traffic flow and safety in the area, they would disrupt traffic themselves, and even lie in the road, to get their point across.

The protesters say the new lights system causes a backlog of traffic and makes crossing the road dangerous.

They want the mini roundabout, which was previously there, re-installed.

But traffic officers say that although they are considering installing safety measures to the present system, including bollards and barriers, the new lights are necessary to accommodate the Wroughton Park and Ride scheme.

Rose Earle, owner of Earle's newsagents in Newport Street, said: "This place has turned into a dangerous, traffic-choked bottleneck since the lights were installed.

"We want the mini roundabout re-installed and if we have to take action ourselves we will.

"We don't want to disrupt traffic anymore than it is already these motorists are as unhappy about the traffic as us but if we have to, to make ourselves heard, we will."

Jacky Crook, 50, who lives nearby in Pipers Way greeted the traffic officers with a banner asking motorist to 'honk if you hate the lights'.

She said: "The lights take ages to let pedestrians cross and as a result people jay walk."

Ioan Rees and Simon Birch told the residents that a survey of the traffic system was about to be carried out and that plans to put bollards and barriers along Newport Street to protect pedestrians were being considered.

But councillor Fionuala Foley, (Con Old Town and Lawns), who is aiding the local residents in their fight said: "I invited the traffic officers down here because they need to see how bad things are and why residents are so angry about the situation.

"This cannot go on."

The new traffic system was installed into Newport Street and Devizes Road to improve traffic flow and accommodate the park and ride buses coming into Swindon from Wroughton.

On Thursday October 10, concerned residents, motorists and pedestrians will meet to discuss the problem at the area panel meeting at Wanborough Village Hall.

The meeting will begin at 7pm and anyone is welcome to go along and voice their views.