ALL the legal steps are in place to smooth the way for the long-awaited relief road around Semington.

If all goes to according to plan, contractors could start building the road in 2002.

Wiltshire County Council has made compulsory purchase orders and side-road orders for sections of land which will make up the Semington-Melksham diversion.

Closing date for objections is January 19. The county council is then expecting the Environment Secretary John Prescott to make the bypass the subject of a lengthy public inquiry.

This is likely to be scheduled in June or July 2001.

The four-mile long, £9m bypass was given permission in July this year. The new road has been designed to take away 90 per cent of the 18,000 vehicles which pass through the village of Semington every day.

The road will pick up A350 traffic at Melksham, skirt round Semington's narrow main street and come out at Little Marsh.

The new route will include an aqueduct for the Kennet and Avon Canal which will mean the temporary diversion of the canal.

There will be a new roundabout on the A361 near West Wiltshire Crematorium and the road will cross three streams.

Semington Brook will be diverted, a new bridge built over Berryfield Brook and a third new roundabout at Hampton Park.

The old Semington Road will remain open for village traffic with restrictions at the canal bridge limiting access to cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians.

The county council must acquire 64 acres of land and it is still awaiting confirmation of a bid for government cash for the project.

The county has bid for £100m to improve road, rail and other transport links.

Environmental groups and other consultees have mostly welcomed the latest proposals.

The main objector was Melksham Town Council. Councillors felt the spur link from the A361 new roundabout to the road at Little Marsh would increase air, noise and light pollution for nearby residents.