WILTSHIRE Council has defended its plans to close the A350 through Westbury for up to a month for resurfacing of the key trunk route.

The works - which involve some 24-hour closures - are likely to cause major disruption to local residents and through traffic.

The closures are scheduled to begin on Friday, September 13 and will last almost a month up to Friday, October 11.

Ahead of the resurfacing, Wiltshire Council has started work on drainage repairs on the A350 between Orchard Road and the A3098 Leigh Road/Hospital Road which will last until Friday, August 30.

Some residents have criticised the timing - saying they should have taken place during the school summer holiday.

One of them said: "What totally brilliant planning! Let's just wait until the school holidays are over and every body is back to work and school.

"Then guess what?Wiltshire Council in their enormity decide Ooh this would be a great time to close one of the main arterial routes through West Wiltshire and set into motion 'Operation **** Up'."

Wiltshire Council said: “We have thought carefully about the timing of the works. They are taking place outside of the school holidays due to the traffic flows on the diversion routes.

"The traffic levels are higher in the holidays and any additional vehicles would have an adverse effect on the network.”

Westbury Town Council is so concerned about the impact it has called two public meetings at its offices at The Laverton for 2pm and 7pm on Monday August 19.

Wiltshire Council’s highways officials, consultants Atkins and Tarmac, the works contractor, have been asked to attend the first event at 2pm.

The second, during the Highways, Planning and Development Committee meeting at 7pm, will have only Wiltshire Council representatives attending.

The county is making final preparations to the phasing order and working windows for the work. A spokesman said: “There will be local diversions around the town for light vehicles, however due to the weight restrictions HGV vehicles will have to travel via the A36."

“Access will be maintained as far as possible for businesses and residents but there may be times when access is not possible due to the depth of excavations and the ongoing working operations."

“The high street will have access for as long as we can maintain it as it is a one-way system with residents and businesses having no alternative access to their properties.

“There may be a few hours where access is not possible and we are looking at the hours to do this phase.”

Gary Davies, owner of hardware store Davies of Westbury, said that "signage is the key" and he hopes that Wiltshire Council will get it right this time.

"Last time, they signed it 'no access to Westbury' and that is obviously not true when 15,000 people live here.

"My main concern is that they sign it correctly to say no to through traffic and that businesses are open as usual.

"We appreciate that the work has to be done as it is a very busy road but the council has to mitigate the impact as best as it can."

The temporary closure will affect the A350 from part of the Trowbridge Road to the West End, Haynes Road and Warminster Road.

Phase 1 will affect part of the Trowbridge Road from its junction with Bitham Park to its junction with West End, and West End from its junction with Trowbridge Road to its junction with Haynes Road.

Phase 2 will affect Haynes Road from its junction with West End to its junction with the Warminster Road.

Phase 3 will affect the Warminster Road from its junction with Haynes Road to its junction with Laverton Road.

While the A350 is closed, Tarmac will carry out carriageway resurfacing, patching works, road marking and adjustment of iron works.

The alternative route is via A350 (unaffected length) – A36 - A361 – Wynsome Street – Goose Street – Bradley Road –Southwick Road – Westbury Road – A363 and vice versa.

The closure and diversion route will be clearly indicated by traffic signs. It is anticipated that the works will take the stated duration to complete, depending upon weather conditions.