White gates have been installed along the A4 at the Studley crossroads in a bid to cut traffic speeds.

Villagers have been fund-raising for two years to raise the £2,000 cost of the gates, and it is hoped they will slow drivers as they approach the busy crossroads on the A4 between Studley and Derry Hill.

The gates are similar to sets installed at Goatacre and are intended to warn motorists they are driving into a village.

The A4 has always been busy, making it difficult for villagers to cross. But residents say the need for the gates became even more important after the Chapel Street homes development was built in Studley in 2007.

Peter Prater, of the Chapel Street Residents’ Associa-tion, said the group had been concerned about the road between Studley and Derry Hill for a long time.

He said: “It’s a junction that all of the residents would use. In the morning it’s a very busy road, particularly now we have the feeder lane on the junction for people turning right and left. There have been accidents there and if this helps prevent more it would be great.”

A project to fund the gates began after Carol Wallace, of Chapel Street, wrote to MP James Gray expressing her concerns.

Following this she was put in touch with the Calne Area Board, which paid half of the amount needed and also received funding from the residents’ association, the parish council and housing association Guinness Hermitage.

On top of this Mrs Wallace formed the Studley Cross-roads Safety Group, which campaigned for the gates and raised money by selling items on eBay.

Richard Aylen, from Calne Without Parish Council, said: “She just pushed and pushed at it in her own gentle way. The parish council were very supportive and eventually it came to fruition. People from all around are delighted that it has happened, it’s a great example of a bottom up community effort.”

Mrs Wallace said: “I looked out of my bedroom window to see this lady struggling with two young children to get across and I thought, something has to be done.

“James Gray said get in touch with Goatacre, they have done this and it’s really working for them, but you’ll have to raise the money yourself.That was a bit frightening, but we just got together and it all fell into place.

“We really struggled those two years. If it wasn’t for Richard and James I don’t know if we could have gone on. We hope it will work, we know we can’t set the speed limit but hopefully it will make them more aware.”