Wiltshire roads at risk from extreme weather damage

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 06:15 · Archive

An extremely dry summer has cracked Wiltshire's roads, and councillors warn of serious infrastructure damage this winter.

Wiltshire's roads are showing increasing signs of cracking following an extremely dry summer, with councillors warned at a cabinet meeting on 8 October of potential serious infrastructure damage this winter.

Conservative leader Richard Clewer told the Liberal Democrat-led Cabinet that cracks on a road he uses for his morning run have grown to levels he could not recall seeing before, caused by dried-out ground cracking the surface above. He warned that without urgent action, Wiltshire could face another 'version of Lyneham Banks'.

Lyneham Banks has become a high-profile example of major road damage in Wiltshire. A landslip forced its closure, with locals describing the damage as looking like it had been hit by an earthquake. The authority spent £5 million on repairs, yet cracks have started to appear in the road's surface again.

Cabinet member for highways Cllr Martin Smith agreed the risk may have increased. He said the summer had been 'almost as bad' for the county's roads as the previous 'disastrous winter', particularly in northern Wiltshire where roads sit on clay.

Cllr Smith noted that some roads had been widened decades ago with inadequate foundations, leaving their edges particularly vulnerable to damage. The Cabinet was examining the council's risk register, which sets out threats the council faces in delivering its services, as Cllr Clewer questioned whether climate adaptation and resilience should be given higher priority on the register, particularly given storms and increased rainfall expected over winter.

How it is being reported

• Fears of major damage as extreme weather hits roadsExtreme weather is cracking Wiltshire’s roads and could cause serious infrastructure damage this winter.Gazette & Herald · 12 Oct, 05:00
• Fears of major damage as extreme weather hits roadsExtreme weather is cracking Wiltshire’s roads and could cause serious infrastructure damage this winter.Wiltshire Times · 12 Oct, 05:00
• Fears of major damage as extreme weather hits roadsExtreme weather is cracking Wiltshire’s roads and could cause serious infrastructure damage this winter.Swindon Advertiser · 12 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Wiltshire Council · Richard Clewer · Martin Smith · Wiltshire · Lyneham Banks

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