RK/SJA/Cons/Roads/NC

3 September 2004

Councillor Fleur de Rhé-Philipe
Wiltshire County Council
County Hall
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JB

New Cut Crossroads, A360 North of Salisbury

Please can you explain to me, in detail, the engineering and financial reasons – and indeed any other reasons – why a roundabout is not to be installed at this location?

I know that crossroads very well indeed. For many years my wife and I used it every school day to get our children to school. Of course, I continue to use it on a regular basis. No one questions the danger of this junction – and no one who has made representations to me believes the work currently proposed will be adequate.

It has been put to me that Wiltshire County Council has been influenced by the Ministry of Defence’s decision to review the location of Land Command at Wilton. I gather it is argued that if the Army relocates, the reduction in the number of vehicles using New Cut Crossroads undermines the case for a roundabout. If this is the case, please can you tell me whether this is an opinion (if so, whose?), an informed judgement (by whom?) or whether any statistical analysis or desktop research has been done to justify that point of view?

I understand that the purchase of additional land is not a problem for the owners. Please would you let me know approximately how much it would cost to purchase such additional land for a roundabout?

It has also been suggested to me that construction of a roundabout at this site would necessitate the relocation of underground services at considerable expense. Please would you be so kind as to tell me which services would have to be relocated and what cost estimates have been made for this operation?

I noticed from the recently published 2004 Wiltshire County Council Local Transport Plan APR that many millions of pounds which had been budgeted for expenditure on the Wylye Relief Scheme, the Harnham Relief Road and the Brunel Link cannot now be spent. Given the fact that so many millions of pounds are not going to be spent on improving local transport, please can you justify not spending such money on a roundabout given the fact that everyone from the Department of Transport to the Wiltshire Constabulary believe a roundabout would be the best solution?

What will the missing millions be spent on if they are not spent on a roundabout at New Cut Crossroads? Please remember that this is taxpayers money and that it is quite clear that those taxpayers in and around Salisbury positively want to see money spent on a roundabout at this site.

If you could confirm that the cost of the roundabout would be £600,000 and that the proposed works will cost £200,00, do you agree with me that Government figures provided by the Treasury confirm that the balance of £400,000 would be less than the cost of a serious injury accident at this point – let alone a death? In those circumstances, please can you explain why the balance of funds could not come from the County Council’s local safety schemes budget?

People in south Wiltshire have been short-changed by the Government who, you will recall, froze all funding for the agreed Salisbury Transport Plan which had been agreed by all parties. On behalf of all my constituents I am appealing to you to spend this modest sum of money on a roundabout that is urgently needed and which taxpayers want to see provided.

In the interests of open government and public accountability, I would be grateful if you would answer my questions in some detail so that I can explain your position to my constituents.