This is an objection to the granting of planning permission for Asda to build a supermarket per their specifications on the outskirts of Melksham for the following reasons:

a) Traffic Congestion. The store and access as proposed will generate additional traffic which will add to congestion on the A350 / A365 road at the proposed entrance to the store.

b) Pedestrian Access. The pedestrian access proposed in the plans is not well placed, having a crossing on the level over the main road leading to a footway alongside a busy main road.

c) Public Transport connections. Although the plans encourage public transport links, provision is limited to bus stops on the main road, provided in such a way that is not going to encourage substantive bus use, and in one direction will block a lane of an already busy road when loading and unloading passengers.

The plans go against policies in these areas:

1. They do not make best encouragement to the reduction of private motor vehicle traffic

2. They do not make any form of practical connection to the nearby railway line and station which is a strategic route in the current local transport plan of Wiltshire County Council.

We recommend that the decision makers of this planning application REJECT the application in its current form. However, we would like to encourage the provision of the store itself, subject to either modifications to the current application or a new application which addresses the issues outlined.

This input to the planning application system has been prepared by me, Graham Ellis,1 on behalf of the Save the Train Campaign2 and along lines agreed by the Melksham Railway Development Group3 during a meeting held in December 2007. It is my understanding that various other local bodies, such as the Melksham Chamber of Commerce4 take a similar view of the application. ([link]). Prepared 14th January 2008. Updated 15 January, 2008. As a footnote to this introduction, please note that I am misquoted in the introduction to Asda's planning application. I have NOT indicated a satisfaction with the plans based on their answers to various discussions, but I HAVE indicated a satisfaction that they took note of my concerns -- a very different thing. I am not in favour of the application as it stands, but would be very much in favour with certain modifications which (in my view) would bring more business, rather than less, to the store.

The proposed site for the new store is separated from the town on Melksham by the busy A350 trunk road, which is dual carriageway and combined with the A365 at the point it passes the proposed store location. At present there are no pedestrian crossing facilities over the road, although a public footpath does cross directly outside the store, then run along the edge of the property to cross the railway line, also on the level.

Onloading onto the A350

The A350 is a very busy road. It appears that only very limited traffic surveys have been done by the applicant. Two specific dates and time slots are listed in the application, and I do not believe these are peak or even typical times for this road. Indeed, Mark Moslin-Thomas from Cottee Transport Planning, consultants for the application, told me5 that they were waiting for the peak summer season and various road works to be completed before they did their survey.

There is heavy summer traffic on the A350, and summer weekend and weekday traffic levels should be considered in addition to surveys undertaken in September 2007.6

Traffic surveys between 17:00 and 18:00 may be at the time that store traffic would be at its peak, but in the evening, the nearby school and business traffic follow each other rather than coincide, so consideration must also be given to traffic between 08:00 and 09:00 as that will be the higher peak on the A350, even if traffic turning in and out of the store is lower than between 17:00 and 18:00.

This section of road is especially prone to abnormal conditions. Many utilities run under nearby roads, and road works are frequent. The road bordering the property regularly floods.7 The road is also used (formally and informally) as a major diversionary route when the A36 and A46 (from Warminster to Bath) and the M4 are undergoing maintenance work.

Looking to the future, the Regional Spatial Strategy shows substantial growth in all the towns along the A350 corridor — growth of around 40% — so figures used in the preparation of the planning application which used various figures, all under 20%, seem unduly low. With improvements in prospect to other sections of the A350 (for example to ease traffic flow around Westbury), loading will probably grow in excess of the growth of population. The Department for Transport's Sustainable Transport report of 31st October 2007 already shows the short section of A350 directly outside the proposed store as a traffic bottleneck.

Changes with the proposed new store

Quite apart from increased traffic, flow of traffic would be constrained to a greater degree than at present.

Although A350 traffic is light-controlled a few hundred yards up the road, A365 traffic to Bath is not controlled and flows freely.

An extra set of lights controlling entrance to, and exit from, the new store would need to have at least three phases: through traffic, store to and from North, and store to and from South. This proposal would severely restrict the amount of traffic that could pass. Tailbacks onto nearby roundabouts would restrict other traffic on the B3017 and A3102 roads, and to and from those roads leaving and/or joining the A350 and A365 southbound. It is acknowledged that as shown on the plans, an additional pedestrian phase would NOT be needed at the lights, as pedestrians could cross in the Northbound to Store phase.

Even at quiet times, delays caused by the extra lights would extend the journey times of passing motorists. Synchronisation of lights would reduce, but not eliminate, these extensions.

The provision of additional lanes for turning traffic from the A350 would be helpful. Although some provision is made, it is limited in nature and is based on growth levels forecast in the planning application which are unrealistically low. This limited provision isn't even adequate in some aspects for current traffic conditions, for example with the lack of a North-to-South direction bus layby.

There is a considerable number of bus services on the A350, but at present none stops within a practical distance of the proposed site. A layby on one side of the road for calling buses would reduce the delay there to just the time taken for the buses to pull in and out. On the other side, no layby is provided and the buses would stop on the main two-lane section. It should be noted that buses in this area are a single-man operation, with fares collected as passengers join, so stops could be for a considerable period if the store, and use of the bus to and from it, are a success.

On Pedestrian Access

The planning application states proudly of a desire to access the store on foot and by cycle, but provides only a level (light-controlled) crossing over the busy trunk road, leading to a pathway for several hundred yards alongside the busy A350.

Further along the A350, the proposed access follows up a narrow embankment, so either an extension to the embankment would be needed, or the footpath and cycleway would be too narrow and very close to the road.

Where the footpath joins the next path towards the town centre, and another is just emerging from the subway under the A350, in order to link this junction, either steps or a slope would need to be provided, probably involving major engineering.

On Public Transport Connections

The proposed developement does NOT include any public transportation facilities at all on site. Neither is there any indication of any parking layby or unloading point for buses or coaches.

Buses would stop on the trunk road outside, with a layby provided in one direction but not the other.

The railway line adjoins the property, and the current Melksham Station is just a few hundred yards up the track. In order to access the station from the store, according to the plans, pedestrians would need to cross the busy A350 on the level, walk several hundred yards beside the road, drop down to the extant subway, pass back under the A350, circle around the ramp at the far side of the subway and then walk several hundred yards along the station approach.

In my view, these proposed arrangements are a disincentive to bus travel, and the awkwardness of access to the railway means that the link is impractical for all but the most determined to use.


I would like to offer two possible options to overcome the concerns expressed above. BOTH of these options would provide greatly improved pedestrian and public transport access to the Asda store, to the benefit of their business, and would reduce the increase in traffic congestion. Both options would also be of benefit to travelers wishing to make interconnections between bus and train, bringing more potential custom to the store, and are also recommended on safety grounds as they eliminate a level footpath crossing over a dual carriageway and a footpath and cycle track directly along the side of such a road. Finally, the proposals eliminate the steps and steep slope necessary to join the new footpath to the extant subway.

Option 1 - Involving a connection to the existing subway and station

REMOVE from the plans the bus stops on the main road, the flat pedestrian crossing and the footway north alongside the east of the A350

1. Pedestrians leaving the store can walk north along the quiet access road to the west of the A350 without crossing. This access road does NOT rise whereas the A350/A365 does, so a NEW SUBWAY could be constructed under the A365, continuing the walk north to join the existing subway in the northwest corner of the A350 / A365 junction.

2. Provide an additional layby just within the property of the store for buses, thus providing better access to the store by bus, reducing congestion, and providing a practical bus stop for a short walk to the station. (Note: Sainsbury's in Melksham has bus facilities on site, so I'm sure Asda will want to provide some as well.)

Option 2 - Involving a new transport interchange

The same as option 1, but re-locate the railway station to the rear of the new store, on existing railway land. The curvature of the line at this point is less than through the current Melksham Station, and the trackbed is as wide as it is on the site of former sidings, with space to provide additional Asda and railway traffic parking.

This option, although it involves additional infrastructure work, places the supermarket right at Melksham's major transport.


The arrival of a large store such as Asda on the A350 on the outskirts of Melksham should be welcomed, but it is important to ensure that it integrates well with the road network and public transport in a complex area where it presents a wonderful opportunity for the development of sustainable and public transport.

The current plans, however, do a bare minimum (almost nothing) for public and sustainable access, being geared almost exclusively towards bringing more private cars into an area that is already bottlenecked.

The plans should be rejected in their current form, but accepted if modified to provide the facilities described in this note to the planning officer, or similar. I understand that agreements can be made with the developers for them to be required to provide the extra facilities themselves, or to fund the provision of such extra facilities by other parties.

Further information - please contact Graham Ellis (404, The Spa, Melksham) who prepared this document. Email - graham@wellho.net, phone 01225 708225. Document prepared January 2008.


Traffic already queues past the proposed Asda site, 2pm, Sat 12th Jan 2008

Verge proposed for conversion to pedestrian walkway and cycle path in plans as submitted

Alternative routing for pedestrian walkway. NOT in submitted plan.

proposed additional subway to join this ramp, NOT in submitted plan.

proposed site for station / transport interchange directly adjoining the site,
showing ample land availability on site of former sidings.
Photograph taken from public footpath (at new stiles) that crosses the railway at this point

existing stair access up to A350; note difference in level that will almost allow for a subway headroom at this point.

road bordering supermarket site, 12th January 2008

Department for Transport map showing road congestion.
Orange line to left of map is A36. Orange line slightly to the right is the A350,
with two small red patches at Melksham, one directly outside the proposed Asda store.

Sketch of site and areas mentioned

A - Asda Proposed Store area
B - Asda Proposed crossing and walkway
C - Suggested alternative flat pedestrian and cycle access away from main road
D - Asda Proposed bus stops (we suggest that buses are invited in to Asda's area to service them)
E - Existing Station
F - Possible location for new station under our option (2)
G - Existing Walkways / Cycleways to be used as part of our suggestions

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