Repairs approved for Wiltshire's 'wonky road'

Major repair works have been approved for a road which has been closed since a landslip in February 2022.

The B4069 Lyneham Banks was dubbed 'Wiltshire's wonkiest road' after the surface split, with parts of it rising by about six metres.

Before the landslip, it was used by 5,500 vehicles per day, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

“Getting this road reopened is a key priority for the local community due to its strategic importance," engineer Jack Francis told Wiltshire Council's planning committee.

Repairs for the road, which attracted international attention due to the dramatic buckling, are expected to cost around £5m.

Local resident John Williams said the impact had been "horrific."

"It was a main through route from Lyneham to Chippenham," he told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Brinkworth councillor Elizabeth Threlfall said it had been a "nightmare" for residents who live nearby.

"It has been a fascinating, if agonizing, occurrence this, because there has been international interest in the engineering project, even from American universities, and I gather that led to a large number of bidders for the construction, which has been very helpful for us," she added.

Once repairs are complete, the new road is expected to last for 60 years.

On the slope above the road, drains will be installed to improve land drainage.

Work will start at the end of June, and is expected to be finished by the spring of 2025.

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