Bradford-on-Avon's Covid one-way system 'causing sleepless nights'

Changes to a town's one way system has left several residents facing sleepless nights because of increased traffic.

The £30,000 scheme in Bradford-on-Avon was introduced to help pedestrians socially distance.

Steve Tonkiss, who lives on Springfield, said traffic such as lorries and "boy racers" were causing him to lose sleep at night.

Bradford-on-Avon Town Council said it was monitoring the "effectiveness and impact" of the scheme.

"We are aware of, and share concerns expressed by some residents in the New Road and Springfield area, and these have been raised with Wiltshire Council to address since the beginning of September, following the removal of the traffic lights on the Town Bridge," the spokesman added.

"As noted in Wiltshire Council's correspondence to individual inquiries from residents, the temporary road layouts are there for public safety - they are not, nor are they intended to be, a trial of a one-way scheme.

"The priority at this stage remains one of public safety in the light of the pandemic, and we foresee traffic volumes reducing over lockdown."

The one-way system is part of a social distancing scheme to widen pavements.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Tonkiss said: "It has now become impossible to sleep at night before 01:00 GMT only to be awoken at 04.30 by the sound of a truck and trailer that comes trundling down the ever increasing potholed road.

"I am lucky enough to benefit from double glazing, although it would be nice to have some fresh air in my bedroom which has now become impossible."

Another resident, Trevor Bedeman, said continuous traffic in the town was making trouble for pedestrians.

He said: "On New Road, for example, there is a great deal more traffic and it has made it much more difficult for people trying to cross to the local shop and school children in the morning."

But John Boyce, who was born in the town, said the changes had been positive: "We've endured horrendous rush hour traffic jams twice daily for decades, and it's been getting worse year on year. The traffic now flows better than ever.

"There has been an impact on some residents, but the two councils are working on improvements on New Road, to slow traffic and aid pedestrians."