You can have your say on plans by Wiltshire Council for a new £135m A350 Melksham bypass.

The council is looking into developing a new bypass to take the road around Melksham.

Later this month, the local authority will look to get the views of residents, businesses, and town and parish council on the plans in a non-statutory consultation.

In March the council was awarded funding from the Department for Transport to develop the case for a A350 Melksham bypass, which was originally considered in July 2019.

The scheme is promoted through the DfT’s Large Local Majors Fund, intended to support a small number of large local road schemes that cannot be funded through normal routes.

If approved, the bid could cost around £135m – depending on the options chosen.

That section of road has been a concern for many years, according to the council and is one of the busiest roads in the county with over 20,000 vehicles using it every day.

Progress of the project will be presented to the Melksham Area Board on November 4 to give residents the opportunity to give their views on the bypass plans.

More information on the consultation and how people can have their say will be available soon, the council says.

A council spokesman said: “The engagement exercise will seek feedback on the early stages of the scheme development as the council creates an outline business case.

“It will be followed by further consultation later in 2021.”

Cllr Bridget Wayman, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “This marks the next step towards a bypass for Melksham that would create a more reliable, less congested transport network; support economic and planned development growth at key locations; reduce air pollutants and emissions from transport; and also improve safety for all road users.

“We’ll be releasing more details soon on how people can have their say on the proposed route options at this early stage of the project, though it is important to note that at this stage, all route options are indicative and do not show the exact route that any road may take. The specifics of any preferred route will be subject to full consultation in 2021.

“Once this initial engagement is complete, we will begin to prepare an outline business case that will also include the outcome of the consultation, before it can be submitted to the Department for Transport in autumn 2021.”