ROADS in Marlborough that urgently need repair may yet be re-surfaced, after town councillors convinced Wiltshire Council to not overlook their proposals.

Members of the Marlborough Community Area Transport Group (CAT-G) met staff from the highways department last Thursday to raise their concerns about many roads in the town not being listed as ‘priorities’, despite asking them to do just that.

Although Ram Alley, Wet Pits Lane, Salthrop, the A4 to the east of Marlborough between Great Bedwyn and Stitchcombe junctions and Sidbury Hill were included, they were outraged that there was no mention of The Parade, George Lane and London Road.

However thanks to the work of councillors Nick Fogg, Stewart Dobson and Richard Allen, they now have a pledge that that these roads will be reviewed before the next CAT-G meeting in March.

“We fought for our corner, put in a big plea for Marlborough and got a guarantee that our proposals would be reviewed which is a step in the right direction,” said Coun Fogg.

“To not have any of those roads on the agenda for the CAT-G meeting, despite us highlighting the state of these roads repeatedly, was pretty shocking.

“We are not asking for special treatment but because we are the central town in the district, where our roads get used more, there should be more recognition that these are busy roads and they are in a bad way.

“They will also looking into the troubles of HGV’s coming down Kingsbury and Silverless Street, which is good news.”

After the meeting Coun Dobson met a Wiltshire Council officer and two employees from Atkins who would carry out the work and it was agreed that The Parade would be repaired in late January and the junction in Hyde Lane with Frees Avenue would be scheduled for March.

"I am very encouraged by the progress that has been made in the meeting and outside of the meeting with Martin Cook of Wiltshire Council," said Coun Dobson.

"This is a definite step in the right direction as we thought we were going to be ignored on these important issues. I will continue to fight for improving George Lane and London Road as there is a huge volume of traffic that goes through there.

"I was however disappointed at the CAT-G meeting that the proposal to allow the press was rejected. I do not think there is anything to hide and it is important to be transparent on these matters."