Minutes:
Contentious Installed Highway Road Signs at Devizes.
I will try to make this as brief as possible, but the situation regarding the A342 and A345 has now reached an impossible situation.
I have to take you back to last year when this Partnership was requested to submit a collective response document to Wiltshire Councils Core Strategy Consultation 2011-2026 regarding Transport Issues along the A345and A342.
Two Town Councils and Nine Parish Councils contributed to a 70 page document containing evidence of Heavy Flows of North to South Through Traffic, which also included highway damage, street furniture damage, verge and side banking’s damage and private property damage, the document also included clear evidence of the increase use of Heavy Goods Vehicles using the roads as a convenient route North to South across the County.
In November 2011 large Highways Signs appeared on the A361 and A342 at Devizes diverting all Heavy Goods Vehicles coming into Devizes and going south, down through the A342 and A345. One of these signs at the Le Marchants Barracks at the A361 roundabout, directed all Heavy Goods Vehicles coming in from the A4 and going South down Windsor Drive through the Nursteed Housing Estate passing the Nursteed Primary School which accommodates 200 very young children, then back onto the A342 south of Devizes.
The selection and erection of these signs would appear to have been a covert operation of unknown people within Wiltshire Council. Wiltshire Council have consistently stated in their highways documents and statements made by their Highways Officers that the A345 is not a recognised highway for Heavy Goods Vehicles to use and that they recommend the preferred route of the A4 and A34 which Wiltshire Council states in their documents to Hauliers and Heavy Goods Vehicle Drivers using the area.
This Partnership now requests that the Pewsey Area Board investigates into.
How did this situation come about?
Which Wiltshire Councillors were involved?
Which Wiltshire Council Officers “Nodded it Through”?
Who raised the funds for it, and where did the revenue come from.
Why were the Area Boards of Pewsey and Tidworth, who’s Parish Areas, are most affected by this Were Not Consulted.
Why were the Transport Working Groups of Pewsey and Tidworth Not Consulted?
Why was the Head Teacher of the Nursteed Primary School Not Consulted?
Why was Wiltshire Councils Highway Strategies Documents regarding the A345 Totally Ignored?
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Why was the Collective Response Document to Wiltshire Councils Core Strategy 2011-2026 of two Town Councils and Nine Parish Councils? Totally Ignored.
We would like to see a copy of the Risk Assessment document that was carried out for the erection of these signs.
We would also like to see a copy of the Impact Study that was carried out for the erection of the signs.
I have to say here that The Pewsey Community Area Partnership has always strived to go down the democratic route as laid down by the local authority. The above is nothing short of sharp practice and back door politics, and is an affront to all the decent people who abide by the rules and adheres to the standards of practice and protocol of Wiltshire Council.
Stan.W.A.Bagwell. Enford Parish Council. (Highways)
Chair. Transport and Road safety Sub Group. Pewsey Community Area Partnership.
7th January 2012