People living in Hilperton and on the eastern side of Trowbridge breathed a sigh of relief this week after a road closure in the village, which would have meant thousands of HGVs and cars diverting past town centre homes, was cancelled.

Plans to close part of Church Street in Hilperton for two months from Monday for gas main replacement work has been delayed until later this year.

It is now hoped the work will not take place until the Hilperton Relief Road is finished, so it can be used as the diversion route.

Wales and West Utilities had asked Wiltshire Council to close the road for eight weeks. There was a fear that the closure, from the junction with Hill Street to the Lion and Fiddle T-junction, would have caused traffic chaos, especially with ongoing work on the relief road.

Traffic, including the giant Great Bear delivery lorries which travel between Cereal Partners in Staverton and the firm’s distribution depot in Melksham, and the thousands of commuters living on Paxcroft Mead, would otherwise have been diverted through Trowbridge, including Timbrell Street, Islington and part of The Down.

Wiltshire councillor for Hilperton Ernie Clark said: “It would make far more sense to delay the work until Hilperton Relief Road is completed.

“The work would have caused a huge inconvenience, especially for bus users, but the biggest reaction was from those in Victoria Road, which would probably have been used as a shortcut.”

Villagers now hope the gas main work will take place in July and August, during school holidays.

A Wales and West Utilities spokesman said: “We are in the process of replacing more than 1.7km of gas pipe in Hilperton as part of our 30-year replacement programme.

“We had planned to close Church Street for approximately eight weeks. We will now be replanning the work for later in 2015.”