PEWSEY parish councillors say their patience is wearing thin over the new traffic system in Wilcot Road, near the entrance to Pewsey Vale School.

They complain that the new traffic lights, finally erected at the end of August, two months later than scheduled, are obscured by a hedge and a street lamp and kerbs are dangerously high.

The idea of making the railway bridge at Wilcot Road safer for all road users by widening the pavement and making it single carriageway controlled by traffic lights was first mooted five years ago.

It was to be an initiative of Wiltshire County Council's highways department, but when residential developer Wilcon won the contract to redevelop Pewsey Hospital for housing, it was agreed it would contribute the new traffic system.

Pewsey parish councillors have been monitoring the roadworks for the last year. Their frustrations with it has been evident at every council meeting since. Parish council chairman Colin Lampard said: "We are reaching the end of our tether. The Wilcot Road traffic scheme was due to be completed on June 27 and it is still not finished.

"The traffic lights went up on August 28 but things are still not right. One set of lights has been put on a verge in the middle of a hedge. Motorists can only see the lights through the foliage. Another set of lights is right behind a lamp standard. It is an accident waiting to happen.

"We are also concerned about the dangerous drop at one of the kerbs. It is far too high. These things were supposed to have been fixed as a matter of emergency but we are still waiting for it to be done."

Wilcon did not want to comment on the situation but a county council spokesman said: "We are aware that the parish council have raised concerns. The county council has asked its agents, Ringway Parkman, to inspect the works and report back."