Here is a link to www.google.co.uk/maps - the Google map of BA13 Wiltshire.

And, by selection on the Google map, to the satellite view of Westbury (Wilts).

See how the railway junctions, the station, the trading estates and also the A36 (the major road that the A350 eventually joins) are all to the west of Westbury.

Diverting the A350 over to the east seemed barmy.  Was there another agenda?

The eastern A350 bypass scheme did not work as a whole, then became sillier.

Here is a simple diagram of part of the route of the now-defunct eastern bypass:

There would have been a deeper effect upon BA13 than that of a road alone.

The eastern bypass route was through the middle of a Special Landscape Area.

Think about the big strip of presently open land which would have been between the route of the eastern bypass and the existing homes on that side of the town.

Local bypasses at Hilperton, Melksham and Chippenham each have housing infill.

Speculative development of new housing based on another bypass at Melksham was being promoted at the National Home Show in 2006 and was in the UK news.

With planning permission, land value can typically increase by up to 100 times.

The possibility of a redesignation of farm-land for new houses and development as a consequence of the eastern Westbury bypass route is reasonably obvious.

Here is a summary of some of what a local councillor had written:  'My wife and I own 36 acres of land, which we are offering for housing.   There is a roundabout planned on our land as part of the Westbury Bypass.   This would open up clear easy access to the land...'    He was speaking frankly on the fact of the matter.

Here is an unbelievable proposal for Bratton and Edington.   Surely not?

But the eastern bypass route, as actually shown on council planning drawings, really was right on top of our Westbury Wellhead public drinking water source.

The Environment Agency had strongly objected.    It now seems unbelievable that such a clearly bad route should ever have been chosen in the first place.

Thankfully, planning permission for the defective scheme has been refused.