IT has taken longer than expected and there are still concerns over the speed limit, but the Hilperton Relief Road is finally set to open next week after being constructed for more than a year.

Work on the long-awaited road started in August last year, with contractor Bristlewand constructing the road on behalf of Persimmon Homes, after planning permission was granted to the developer by Wiltshire Council in 2006.

The road, which is being built by the developer as part of the legal agreement for the East of Trowbridge housing development, was scheduled to take 40 weeks.

However, it is now expected to open next week - over a year after work started – but while Hilperton councillor Ernie Clark welcomes the new road, he is still concerned about the proposed speed limit.

“I have been given various dates for the opening of the relief road from council officers, with one suggesting the 5th of October and another suggesting the 7th or 8th,” said Cllr Clark.

“It won’t be before the 5th as that is when the traffic regulation order will come into force and the speed limit, which I still believe is too high, and weight restrictions are put in place.

“It does look like it is going to open next week and that is the guidance I have received from highway officers, but it depends on Persimmon and the contractors. I expect we will wake up one morning and find that it is open and there are queues of traffic.

“The protracted build time has caused a lot of upset to people as it was initially expected to be around 42 weeks and it has now dragged on for well over a year for whatever reason.”

The council’s highways officers recommended that the speed for the road should be set at 50mph, even though the limit was set at 40mph when the road was initially approved in 2006.

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.

“There are still concerns over the 50mph speed limit and we believe it is an accident waiting to happen, but we have taken it as far as we possibly could,” added Cllr Clark.

“The feeling in the village when the road was approved was that 25 per cent were in favour of it, 25 per cent were against and 50 per cent didn’t have an opinion, but I don’t if that has changed.

“It will be a relief to some residents in Hilperton who won’t have to put up with lorries driving past their house, but it is still a short term solution as there will still be traffic through Staverton.”