RESIDENTS with a sense of humour in Royal Wootton Bassett have unofficially named a new temporary road being built by Network Rail as part of the delayed and over-budget electrification project.

A sign naming the new link road as 'Waste of £3.25 billion Street' has appeared on fencing at the entrance to the new road which is being built by Network Rail in a bid to minimise disruption for residents while two town railways bridges are demolished and rebuilt.

The bridges are too low to accommodate the overhead wires needed to run the new high-speed electric trains. Without the link road, drivers would face a diversion of more than 35 miles just to cross the railway line.

But with an announcement last week that the electrification project may not now be completed until 2020 – almost four years behind schedule – one resident decided to make their feelings known about the multi-billion pound project which is over budget.

Another sign has also appeared on the fencing offering an alternative name for the new road as “Wannell Way” – named after Royal Wootton Bassett town councillor Chris Wannell who initially put the idea for the link road to Network Rail.

Mr Wannell said he had chuckled when he had heard about the sign, but believed the link road was vital for the town.

He said: “I suggested the link road because I could see the disruption to the whole town.

"The diversion that would have been used would be the diversion that county have put in place for the closure of the High Street which would be 36 miles, which is absolutely ridiculous. That would absolutely kill our town. We need visitors and we need the passing trade.

“I put the idea to Network Rail, and at the time I was accused of being mad, but you have to hold your head against the parapet if you think you are right and doing the right thing you have to go for it.”

Work on the Marlborough Road/Broad Town bridge is due to get under way on March 6 and will take six months. Following this, work on the A3102 Bath Road bridge is due to take place between October and March 2017.

A Network Rail spokesperson declined to comment on the unofficial naming of the new road, but said: “Electrification will transform Brunel’s railway, bringing it into the 21st century and enabling Wiltshire residents to benefit from a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains.

“In completing the Great Western Electrification Programme we are keen to minimise disruption for passengers and our lineside neighbours as much as possible. This is why we have built a temporary road at Royal Wootton Bassett, so that when we begin our improvement work on the two bridges, residents will not have to use a lengthy diversion route.”

A drop in session on the works will be held at the Lime Kiln Leisure Centre on February 4 from 4pm until 7pm.