I would like to congratulate our anti-mobility, congestion-generating highway authority for having capped their triumphant attempt to grind Southbroom Road and Nursteed Road traffic to a halt with its masterful (unsigned) road narrowing and excessive stop times at the Toucan crossings around The Green, with its recent resurfacing project at Cannings Hill on the A361.

Here, not only is the surface finish abysmal, with areas of ponding which could easily convert to ice sheets; a badly finished longitudinal joint on the inbound carriageway which will, within one cold winter, break up and leave us with a (familiar?) pot-holed downhill slope with plenty of braking, lane-changing heavy vehicles to boost the destruction, but it has also produced a frankly murderous piece of white lining at the end of the outbound carriageway.

This is designed to force overtaking traffic and traffic wanting to turn right for Bishops Cannings to merge with the slower traffic on the inside lane, on a downhill slope, such that all traffic will have to practically stop, while those who can’t position themselves properly for the turn wait until the ‘white lines say so’ before moving out to make the turn.

And this at a point where the change to single lanes was purposely designed with a long transition to facilitate merging beyond the dual section.

Before the resurfacing, the distinction between overtaking and turning traffic was obvious: the turning traffic is indicating and slowing down, showing brake lights, while overtaking traffic might also be slowing down because the dual carriageway is ending but usually without showing brake lights, just using engine-braking and the subsequent uphill slope to adopt the required speed for the single carriageway.

Overtaking traffic could easily spot turning traffic ahead and, if present, begin its adjustment to speed and lane earlier.

But now, all traffic is unnecessarily brought to a standstill, probably with accompanying rubber deposits, because our numpty highway authority can’t abide allowing drivers to drive.

It is clearly its aim to eliminate one of the few safe sections for overtaking, adding to driver frustration and possibly to attempts at less safe overtaking manoeuvres further along the route.

Another blow to road safety. Well done!

Brian W Smith, Devizes.