A Wiltshire Council traffic study shows congestion at four major junctions in Chippenham could be cut by up to 1,000 vehicle movements an hour by a new eastern link road, compared to a southern one.

The council’s Future Chippenham plan envisioned 7,500 new homes being built, which was later halved after public disquiet.

To help the town’s road network cope with the extra homes, it proposed an eastern distributor road (EDR) from the A350 Morrisons roundabout around Birds Marsh to the A4 near Stanley Park.

The circle around the town would be completed by a link to the A350 at Lackham via a Southern Distributor Road (SDR) running south of Pewsham.

The first section of the EDR around Birds Marsh has been completed, with the second due to start when 650 homes are built at Rawlings Green.

Last year the council abandoned plans to build the final section of the EDR from Rawlings Green to the A4 in favour of building the SDR.

The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald:

This new plan has yet to win government approval and there is concern that £75 million of Homes England funding could be withdrawn.

Developer Chippenham Riverside hopes to build homes at New Leaze and has campaigned for an eastern link road.

It commissioned the study from the council and its highways consultant Atkins in October to confirm which option would better ease congestion.

The study compared the potential impact of the two routes, each supporting 4,200 new homes, on rush hour traffic at four major junctions – the Little George signals at Malmesbury and Langley Road; the Bridge Centre roundabout; the Station Hill and New Road signals south of the railway arches and the Marshfield Road and New Road signals north of the arches.

The £21,000 study showed that between 7 and 10am and 3 and 7pm the Little George would see 598 fewer vehicles an hour in the morning and 584 fewer in the evening if the link road goes to the east rather than the south.

The modelling showed an EDR would generate fewer vehicles during these times at all four junctions.

Chippenham Riverside director Edward Heard said the most significant impact of an EDR is the potential reduction of traffic at the Little George signals.

“This major route is already extremely busy at rush hour,” he said. “Reducing congestion there by up to 600 vehicle movements an hour would have a hugely beneficial effect on the town centre.

“The results of the study suggest the council is missing a golden opportunity to reduce traffic jams in Chippenham by abandoning plans to finish the eastern route.”

Wiltshire Council leader, Councillor Richard Clewer, would not comment on the study but a press office statement on his behalf said: “The council and Homes England continue to have positive discussions.

“It is not appropriate to comment further whilst these discussions are taking place. At present we intend to report to cabinet at their December 2022 meeting.”

Chippenham councillor Howard Greenman added: “It doesn’t alter what I have always believed – that an eastern relief road would make the traffic flow through the town a lot easier.

“It would take traffic from the northern edge of the town to the southern end rather than forcing it through the town centre… which is just going to create a logjam.”

The council’s own Local Plan Transport Review, published last year, says: “Previous work has shown that any meaningful growth would require a new Eastern Distributor Road connecting the east of the town to the A350 to the north.

“Without this access, it is expected there would be considerable capacity, congestion and delay through the town centre.”