WILTSHIRE Council is red-faced after jumping the gun in telling the local councillor that the Hilperton Relief Road would finally open this week.

There has been much anticipation over when the road would open after work began in August last year.

The road, which is being built by Persimmon Homes as part of the legal agreement for the east of Trowbridge housing development, was scheduled to take 40 weeks and work began last August.

But as Trowbridge motorists would have noticed, ‘road closed ahead’ signs have not been moved from the entrance to the by-pass – a set-back which Hilperton councillor Ernie Clark believes the delay will infuriate locals.

“No one has been in touch with me to let me know what is happening,” he said.

“The dates I was given for it to open this week by council officers obviously aren't going to happen and from what I understand, Wiltshire Council are waiting for an audit to come back. I am completely left in the dark as is everyone else.

“It looks like it is ready to be opened and all the street light heads have now been put on.”

Cllr Clark said the proposed speed limit of 50mph was a concern.

He said: “It is only one kilometre long and when I did the calculations on implementing a 40mph, it would only take eight seconds longer to travel the distance.

“When it does open, if someone is coming through Staverton, they would have to travel at 30mph and then as soon as they hit the relief road, it increased to 50mph and at the other end by Hilperton it is reduced again.

“It is absolutely crazy but highways did insist that the road meets the Department of Transport guidelines for 50mph and what was it – they wouldn’t listen to what anyone else had to say about it.

"It really does make you wonder about the point of consultations.”

There was strong opposition to the new 50mph limit from Hilperton Parish Council, Trowbridge Town Council, police, two nearby primary schools and the Paxcroft Mead Residents’ Association.

Hilperton Gap Action Group (HGAG) gathered outside County Hall in July before a full council meeting to protest the proposed speed limit, but the council confirmed the 50mph would remain.

A spokesman for Persimmon Homes said: “There is no formal date for the opening of the Hilperton Relief Road. We are meeting with the council later this week, so a decision will be made after that.”

They would not comment further on the issue of a safety audit.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said that the relief road opening date depends on Persimmon and once the council has received the paperwork suggesting a date, they will announce it.