Repair work approved for ‘shiny’ road in Wiltshire

Major repair work has been approved for a road that has been closed since a landslide in February 2022.

“Reopening this road is a key priority for the local community due to its strategic importance,” engineer Jack Francis told Wiltshire Council’s planning committee.

Repairs to the road, which has attracted international attention due to the dramatic buckling, will cost around £5m.

Local John Williams said the impact was “horrendous”.

“It was a main crossing route from Lyneham to Chippenham,” he told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Brinkworth councilor Elizabeth Threlfall said it was a “nightmare” for residents living nearby.

“It was a fascinating, if agonizing, turn of events because there was international interest in the engineering project, even from American universities, and I understand that led to a large number of bidders for the construction, which was big help for us,” she added.

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

Drains will be installed on the slope above the road to improve the drainage of the land.

Work will begin at the end of June and is expected to be completed by spring 2025.