DRIVERS in Chippenham will face around four weeks of delays on their way in to town when one of the town’s busiest roads is closed for resurfacing.

The stretch of Rowden Hill from the Bridge Centre roundabout as far as the junction with Bath Road will be closed from August 2, leaving commuters no choice but to find an alternative route to the town centre.

Rowden ward councillor Andrew Noblet said: “I have not had any feedback from people in my ward, but my own reaction when I saw the road signs was ‘again?’ I thought they had finished the work, but it seems they haven’t.

“Apart from that I have not heard from anyone about it.”

The work is a continuation of Wiltshire Council’s resurfacing of the road which began in May last year.

Council planners have set up alternative routes to the town centre through West Cepen Way, Bristol Road, Park Lane, New Road and Ivy Lane, but businesses in the area say this will hit them hard.

Rowden Arms manager Marilyn Simpson said: “The last time the road closed it really affected us. Not only did we lose trade, but if we are quiet we have to send our staff home and then they lose their wages.

“The diversion will affect us because people are expected to go a long way around and they just won’t come here. Our regulars will still come in, but we will be affected by this.

“Last year we had big signs put up on either side of the diversion saying we were still open, but they were taken down.”

Mrs Simpson believes what the road needs is a safe crossing, rather than money spent on resurfacing.

She said: “There is no crossing between the hospital and The Pheasant and we really need one.

“This is a busy road and cars come flying down here. It is about time they did something about that.”

Following this work, Wiltshire Council has restricted proposed works for three years from August 31. This means no street works may be undertaken on the length of Rowden Hill affected in August without the consent of the council for the next three years.

This restriction will follow the completion of the proposed resurfacing, and will be subject to exemptions.