Link opens early

County council chairman Lt Col Jarvis will conduct the official opening at 11.30am on Tuesday, December 12.

The new road will allow heavy goods vehicles travelling between the West Wilts and White Horse trading estates to avoid low or understrength bridges.

It is also hoped that it will reduce heavy goods traffic through surrounding towns and villages such as Heywood, Hawkeridge and Westbury.

The planning application attracted opposition last year, with a 500-name petition from nearby residents being presented to the county council.

This was countered by a 200-name petition from businesses in Westbury in support of the road.

Their case was strengthened when Railtrack warned that urgent repair work was needed on the Dursley Road bridge at Heywood to make it suitable for lorries over ten tons to continue crossing it.

Without a link road this bridge was the only bridge over the railway line which would allow access to the trading estates for lorries too high to pass under low bridges around Westbury.

Work began on the 500m long road in June this year and has been completed several months earlier than predicted.

County council principal highways engineer Peter Binley said work on the road proceeded very smoothly from the beginning, despite recent weather conditions.

He said: "Work started in the summer and they had a few dry weeks to start building the embankments.

"When the flooding happened, the embankments were already up so they were working away from the flood plain."

The road was designed and supervised by Ringway Parkman. The contractors were Southwick-based firm, Mowlams.

Once the opening ceremony has been conducted, it is hoped the first vehicles will be able to use the road later that afternoon.

Westbury town councillor, Bill Braid, said: "I'm absolutely delighted to see it opened.

"I think the contractors have excelled themselves as it was not due to open until next summer."

"This will make life a lot easier for everyone."