Wiltshire County Council has become heavily focussed on an eastern bypass.  WCC's consulting engineers echo the perceived way to go.    Viable alternatives (of lower comparable actual cost) and other priorities have been played down.

WCC has spent or committed up to three million pounds on its bypass scheme.

Inappropriate pressure has been put on the public by an eastern bypass being presented as a foregone conclusion (with our tax cash now gone on its design), any objection to which will leave Westbury without any traffic improvements.

The A350 villages of Yarnbrook and West Ashton, which have awful congestion and long tailbacks at their cross-roads, are now being left with these problems, so that funding goes towards an eastern bypass which will make things worse.

Despite it so obviously being in the wrong position, environmentally disastrous, contrary to UK national policy and overwhelmingly unpopular..., a few still want to have a new main road driven through an area of particular natural beauty.

The fact is that new houses are often built on the land next to new roads.

Some say that it is necessary that local road schemes are done hand-in-hand with property developers.   It is said that this is to overall advantage.   Maybe, except where the best green landscape is built over and the new road is not in the most useful place.   Anyway, this possibility should be there for all to see.

UK Planning Regulations do not allow individuals or companies to put up homes regardless of anyone else or the impact on the country or wherever they wish.

Because of this, house-building land is much more valuable than open land.

Planning policy is set by the councils.   Land is designated for housing, farming, or as areas of outstanding beauty and special landscapes for all of us to enjoy.

But a new road is often a catalyst for a change of planning designation.

The published cost for the acquisition of all of the land for an eastern bypass, plus a link to the trading estate, over 6km in total length and of significant width (for the cuttings and embankments) is only £500k.   The cost of a luxury home. Will the real price ultimately be an amount of profitable house-building...?

 To make redundant land available for new housing is a reasonable objective.  New homes have to be somewhere.    But it is not right that the loveliest land, that should be for the enjoyment of everyone, is misused for narrow reasons.

The proposed eastern bypass would barge through the area of this old scene.
It would cross the old road under the White Horse (as pictured) on a flyover.
On top of the 6m high embanked flyover, a 6m high bat gantry is proposed.
WCC also intends a 10m height elevated bridge over the nearby railway.
Don't let the self-interested fool you that this bypass could not be seen.

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