MIXED feelings surround the decision to put a major road scheme on hold.

The Government will not fund the controversial £15m Westbury bypass until it has taken a wider look at the road structure throughout the south west.

The regional assembly, Government office and local authorities are carrying out a review of road routes running north and south across the region, from Bristol and Bath down to Southampton, Bournemouth and Poole. Until the results of this study are known, no final decision will be made.

Wiltshire County councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of an eastern route for the bypass when they met in July.

Despite pleas from campaigners against the road, which cuts across the line of hills alongside the White Horse, the environment and transport committee agreed to back recommendations from consultant Ringway Parkman. However, the route was so controversial when it was debated in 1997 that councillors agreed to carry out a major review.

Plans have been delayed again, much to the relief of some Westbury town councillors who felt they were bulldozed into a decision. Cllr John Clegg said a delay was better than getting a bypass for the wrong reasons, and is calling for a fresh bid for funding.

"You must not put a bypass in the wrong place, once you've got it, you've got it forever," he said.

"You can't just put bits of bypass anywhere, and it has to be part of a cohesive transport plan for the whole region that the Government would be prepared to fund."

Some groups are calling for the county council to look at an alternative route, which would take traffic past West Wilts Trading Estate and would provide better public transport links.

Adrian Fox, the chairman of Westbury Bypass Alliance, said: "I want to see a traffic solution, not necessarily a bypass, that would take HGVs out of the town, cost less money, and would be a better solution for the whole area."

The Council for the Protection of Rural England said it was pleased that good sense is prevailing over the headlong rush to build roads across the Wiltshire landscape.

However, not everyone was happy with the delay. Pressure group UPRAWW said it wondered whether they would ever see any respite from ever-increasing commercial traffic.

Chairman Peter Campbell said: "Yet again, Westbury is losing out to other towns in west Wiltshire and while the uncertainty continues any schemes to enhance or improve traffic conditions in the town are on hold."

Despite the county council's disappointment over the decision, it has received an extra £617,000 of transport funding for 2002/3.