Wiltshire 2026 - Results of the Consultation Carried out by the Melksham Community Area Partnership January 2010
157 people took part in the survey, either online or at the public consultation held in Melksham Town Hall on January 23rd 2010. Not everyone answered every question as the purpose was to allow people to respond to the areas they felt most concerned about.
Q1. Which community parish do you live or work within?
Melksham 45.5% 70 Melksham Without (includes Bowerhill) 39.6% 61 Atworth 1.9% 3 Broughton Gifford 1.3% 2 Bulkington 0.0% 0 Great Hinton 0.0% 0 Keevil 3.9% 6 Poulshot 2.6% 4 Seend 1.9% 3 Semington 1.3% 2 Steeple Ashton 1.9% 3
Q50. What age range do you fit?
0-18 1.0% 1 19-40 15.5% 16 41-65 57.3% 59 65 + 26.2% 27
Q2. Vision for Wiltshire
Wiltshire Council has a vision for our county, which they aim to achieve through the Core Strategy.
The vision By 2026 Wiltshire will have a much more sustainable pattern of development, focused principally on Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury. Settlements of all sizes will have become more self- contained and supported by the necessary infrastructure, with a consequent reduction in the need to travel, an improvement in accessibility to local services, a greater feeling of security and the enhancement of a sense of community and place. This pattern of development, with a more sustainable approach towards transport and the generation and use of power and heat, will have contributed towards tackling climate change. Housing, employment and other development will have been provided in sustainable locations in response to local needs as well as the changing climate and the incorporation of exceptional standards of design. Wiltshire’s important biological and built environment will have been safeguarded and, where necessary, extended and enhanced to provide appropriate green infrastructure, while advantage will have been taken of the County’s heritage to promote improvements in tourism for economic benefit.
Do you agree with this vision?
Yes 70.3% 71 No, please feel free to explain below. 29.7% 30 Comments 40
Any perception of a "consequent reduction in the need to travel" in future is a pipe-dream, a return to an imagined pre-industrial Arcadia which will never, ever happen now that individuals take getting about for granted. What's needed is investment in affordable transport, both personal and public. Charging points for 1 electric cars; train, tram and bus interchanges; cycle paths between communities. Sorry but I'm afraid that one sentence renders all that follows virtually worthless, which is a shame as some good points are being made here.
Wholeheartedly endorse, commending emphasis on sustainability, but hope the interpretation is as radical as 2. climate change demands.
3. Will Melksham itself, as a shopping town, benefit from the County vision? It's sadly left behind at present.
I can't see much sense in it. I don't think that everything should centre on the three towns stated...why not Melksham?????
4. Global warming theory is falling apart so all this climate change stuff - if you mean from carbon dioxide is just plain daft.
I wouldn't vote Green so why would I want a greener infrastructure????
Mostly, smaller settlement will need some housing for young families to sustain village primary schools. Other 5. market towns, such as Melksham, should have access to a share of development if the wish and not be locked out, leaving it all in Chippenham and Trowbridge.
Basically I agree with the stated aims however hidden within that statement is the continuing emphasis on Trowbridge and Chippenham to the detriment of Melksham. The current result being that the majority of people in Melksham shop in Trowbridge or Chippenham in particular clothing. Melksham is eventually to have a supermarket that includes clothes but that was despite the best efforts of the planning department to stop the 6. development. Further to allow the development Countrywide stores have to move to a different position on their current property again the planning department tried to stop the move so stopping the whole development stating to Melksham town council that it would be better if Countrywide stores moved to Trowbridge or Chippenham! If you want to reduce travel then it is necessary to allow total community development to take place in every town in the area so enabling each town to fully support its residents.
7. How do you connect the villages to the bigger towns?
8. How do you connect the villages to the bigger towns?
Why is Melksham left out from the "Vision" poster - stated - "Settlements of all sizes will have to become more 9. self contained and supported by the necessary infrastructure"!!
There needs to be more businesses and industry to be encouraged to come to Melksham. We do not want to be 10. a dormitory town. We also want Melksham Without parishes to stay physically seperated from Melksham to keep their identities.
11. Do not agree with the focus on Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury.
I have no idea why the council is so determined to focus on Chippenham and Trowbrige - they should be interested in hellping all of the towns to develop. Melksham will have a new school and a new supermarket - it 12. needs more new shops, less takeaways, local amninties like doctors and dentists, a better bus service or everyone will just move away and leavea ghost town
Why in gods name do you keep going on about Climate Change? 13. Man Made Climate Change is nothing more than a scam and has been proven to be fraudulent. Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury do not need any assistance with development where as Melksham is being allowed to die while the council clearly favours these other towns.
14. Do not agree or disagree but I feel some parts of this statement I do disagree
Clearly, there appears to be no focus on Melksham which as a critical Gateway to both Salisbury and Trowbridge has been overlooked. As long as the focus, as quoted prioritises Salisbury, Trowbridge and 15. Chippennham Wiltshire Council will alienate the residents and workers in the neglected area and therefore will not enlist these potential voters to the Council's strategy.
The focus on Trowbridge and Chippenham often means that Towns such as Melksham which are sandwiched in 16. between miss out, in particular when it comes to the development of its high steet and infrastructure.
There appears to be too much focus on only three towns which makes me think that the others in the county will have to suffer as a result of this vision. 17. For example: Melksham and the number of houses planned to be built over the next dacade (some 700+) and the fact that local employment is showing a down turn, will only add to the growing transport and the so called "global warning" issues.
In principle I agree, but need to spread development more and not just in 3 centres if people are to travel less. 18. Development will need to be local to everybody and not just the 3 centres.
I feel this statement is rather abstract. I also feel that the issues being raised are primarily the concerns of those people who can be loosely banded as "the chattering classes". 19. Perhaps these are issues that concern the liberal elite of the area, but as a "man on the street", I am more interested in affordable, good quality housing and better value for my council tax. Not "sustainable" housing estates and empty "carbon friendly" buses.
There is insufficient scope for the required growth and variety of employment that would result in such a utopia. 20. Melksham would need significant levels of investment and will remain a commuter town until such time that the necessary infrastructure is in place.
There is limited employment in Melksham and the majority of people out-commute, as do those of Trowbridge given the number of vehicles at rush hour emanating from the old A361 at Semington turn. So I see no reduction 21. in the need to travel, especially given the limited industrial/employment increase in Melksham. More houses without employment or services means more out commuting. Hospital visits is just one area where a lack of hospital facilities in Melksham has already resulted in additional travel for those who least need to travel.
22. However, visions are visions, it will be interesting to see what and how much is actually achieved.
This goal is good, but past developments in Chippenham for instance, have already created an imbalance which 23. needs to be tackled before any more houses are built.
Historically the focus has always been on Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury to the detriment of the smaller 24. market towns. It would be good to see new developments shared across the county.
The sentiments are fine, but it is a good job the plain English campaign do not find some of the statements. What does the 'biologial and built environment' mean to normal people. If fact that whole sentance is difficult to 25. visualise. There must be better ways of wording this so it does not sound like it came from consultants. If you want people to understand a vision please make the words simply otherwise the message gets lost.
The trend over the past few decades has been for people to travel more. People want to live in the country and commute to the towns/cities to work or vice-versa. The reduction in the real costs of motoring has enabled this to happen and the only way to reverse this trend (if that is what the council is trying to do) would be to increase these costs to the extent that the average person could no longer afford to own/use a motor car. 26.
I feel this is a step backwards and the council should be looking for ways to improve transport rather than trying to reduce it. Thus, better/more/cheaper public transport and an increase in rail and road capacity is what is really required if economic growth is to be sustained.
27. I live in Chippenham and work in Melksham, my employer moved from Chippenham in 2005.
28. Bullet points and paragraphs would help make it easier to read. I think is a good vison and way forward, however, Why is Melksham not considered in this Vision. Melksham 29. with its new school and additional housing always appears to be the poor relation
30. Melksham omitted from overall structure.
i think dream rather than vision, considering the time, 16 years from now, i have my doubts this would even start 31. by then
the development emphasis is centered on the populated "urban" areas to the detriment of rural village 32. communities. There is though an imbalance in the councils reveue generation. The village communities get less facilities yet we pay considerably more through higher council tax banding. This imbalance should be corrected.
33. MOTHERHOOD
I object to the emphasis to the three towns mentioned. In Melksham we have already suffered from the results of this attitude over the proposed Asda development. It appears the government's penalising of the motorist will be maintained by WC, together with the use of 34. inefficient, over subsidised local generation of power. The whole statement seems to be based on the hysterical international response to one unproved theory of global warming and is annoyingly patronising.
Whilst I agree in general with a principle of careful use of resouces and responsible I do not agree that the considerations of climate change are necessarily the most important in dictating the approach to the development of the county. Unfortunately western societies, led by politics and press, have a long history of somewhat irrational cataclysmic beliefs, even in recent times (c.f. Nuclear Winters, Acid Rain, etc etc). 35. The three most important issues in my view are population growth, the development of polution-free energy mechanisms, and the proper collection and re-use of all manufactured product materials when those products readch the end of their life. I can see none of those three issues represented in the core plan or vision.
36. It would be difficult to disagree with such a comprehensive statement of good intentions.
I agree with most of the statement, but why Trowbridge and Chippenham, I can understand Salisbury, to get to Trowbridge from Chippenham via road you have to go through Melksham and vis versa, so this makes 37. Melksham strategicaly very important, not a dormitory town as it will become if this core stratergy is allowed to stand in its present format.
I see no reason for towns (settlements yuk) to become more self-contained but, of course there need to be adequate local facilities, parking etc for the convenience of people.
I have no ineterest in the abatement of plant food (CO2) and I do not subscribe to the mistaken council mindset on climate change or sustainablity (in the way the term is used in Council speak). Climate changed over millions of years before mankind industrialised and the 0.6 degree rise in temperature over the whole 20th century is well within the natural variation of the past 1,000 years. The planet is now cooling despite almost exponential increases in CO2 - the GC models are fataly flawed. It is estimate that this AGW scam will cost our people £700 billion over 40 years to achieve nothing.
My main thought is to keep to true spatial matters i.e. where building should take place to maximise facility and convenience for people including free parking in town and adequate parking for home and work. I do not see commuting for better jobs as bad but of course I want Melksham develop as much employment as possible for 38. the benefit of local peolpe and our prosperity. New shopping developments with adequate parking on the edge of town should be welcomed. Our population is growing and this will help relieve congestion.
I do not believe that local generation is of any benefit as bulk supply is more efficient, reliable and cost effective. This is just another symptom of 'regressive' rather than 'progressive' development. Local Councils used to run local generation up to the fifties but this did not fit the growing demand for secure energy supplies, best served by large hydrocarbon (gas and coal) and nuclear plants - not windmills. Much distillate oil fired OCGT capacity will be needed to meet demand with the low capaity factor of wind turbines. On-shore wind power costs 4 times that of comparable modern gas fired CCGT plant per kw installed. it is a totally unnecessary blot on the visual environment. Just for the record off-shore wind power costs are double on-shore.
The A350 link road to Bower Hill is needed urgently to promote more trade in the industrial / commercial complex. Wider highways are needed within the infrastructure and current highways should be well maintained.
I deplore the use of the word 'settlements' as I find it retrogressive and offensive. We live in the 21st century not the 11th or 12th.
That'll do I guess.
Much of the vision is right, but the line drawn below Trowbridge / Chippenham / Salisbury and just above Melksham worries me. The suggestion by the team who are running this Consultation that an existing employer 39. looking to relocate within the town should have his planning application refused, and should be told to move to Chippenham or Trowbridge, is not (in my personal view) the correct policy, and actually gives lie to the suggestion that towns be largely self contained and daily travel reduced which i spart of the same statement
All of these aim (visions) are not being met!! Melksham is now without a proper hospital, we are a town of only grocery/hair and take away shops. Years ago Melksham was a better place to be than Trowbrige, now this is not 40. so because the council is based in Trowbridge! You are killing Melksham by not allowing it to have things that MAY compete with Trowbridge, please, please cease this selfish behaviour.
Q3. The 10 strategic objectives
This is a summary of the objectives. 1. To address climate change 2. To provide for long term economic growth 3. To meet Wiltshire's housing needs 4. To secure appropriate infrastructure and services 5. To enhance the vitality and viability of town centres 6. To encourage safe accessible places 7. To promote sustainable forms of transport 8. To protect and enhance the natural environment 9. To safeguard and promote a high quality built environment 10. To minimise the risk of flooding
Do you agree with these strategic objectives? If not please explain.
Yes 77.4% 82 No, please feel free to explain below 22.6% 24 Comments 38
Number 1. on this list is too woolly and needs tightening up. The word "address" in itself is meaningless in this context, and the term "climate change" mans so many things to so many different people as to be rendered useless 1. as an objective.
Let's have something on waste management written in as a SMART objective.
Pleased climate change is put first. Again, MCFG (Melksham Climate Friendly Groups) trusts the possibly drastic 2. steps needed are not baulked.
take out all the nonsense on climate change - it most decidedly shouldn't be the first thing on the list!!!!!....Don't see why it's there at all really.
Some of the other things are OK but it depends what you mean with some of them. We all need transport of course 3. but of our own choosing not of the council.s!!!.
WHY CAN'T I CHOOSE EASILY WHICH ONES I AGREE WITH MORE THAN OTHERS? Seems an odd sort of oppinion tester this.
I am impressed that Climate is at top of your list of objectives - it could be a means of combining people. A few 4. simple initiatives could engage the population, it needs to be done soon. What does this mean? Some of these conflict with each other. Building thousands of new houses is not going to help 5. address climate change.
6. OK but don't believe climate change is man-made.
7. But don't forget the villages
8. But don't forget the villages
9. If we build more houses we need a hospital.
I agree with the core proposals particularly the restoration of the canal to encourage tourism. Having had a business 10. in Melksham it would encourage me to open again.
11. Number 2 should include the word sustainable.
1. Climate change is a natural, cyclical phenomenon. How arrogant are you at assume you can "addrerss" it?
7. What "sustainable forms of transport" are you refering to? If you are refering to public transport you are wasting your time and money. Money that would be better spent on far more forward-thinking and 12. progressive projects such as emptying our bins on a weekly basis.
10. Why should flooding be an issue? The only reason that Melksham floods at Challymead is because they open the gates at Chippenham. Again poor little Melksham gets sacrificed to save the favourite, Chippenham, On what basis are you proposing to minimise the risk of something that has never caused a huge problem, may never cause a real problem and could be prevented in Wesesx Water managed the water and the river better.
13. Again some statements I agree with and some I do not
The Strategic Objectives are in the wrong order, and whilst it is extremely nice and touchy feely to think that the Council see Climate Change as the No1 Priority in their strategy, its not going to be much help to a child in need or a 14. family in poverty brought about by the neglect of the Council because they are focusing on Trowbridge Chippenham and Salisbury and that the main area of focus in these areas is going to be Climate Change
Encouraging businesses to invest and develop. Support for projects that will benefit the environment and 15. communities e.g the Wilts Berks Canal. The development of the Bus & Train routes and the enhancement of support services such as our hospitals etc should be priorities.
16. Again, nothing too promising here about employment. Just more houses..
Are these objectives in order of priority? If they are, I wouldn't put climate change at the top of the county's agenda. 17. Also, abstract soundbites come flying in my direction. "Encourage safe accessible places"?? Does this mean police stations that are actually staffed?
Addressing climate is not of primary importance to residents of Wiltshire. It will result as a consequence of changes 18. to our pattern of consumption and that is where we should focus attention.
Climate change depends upon whether one believes the current discredited thinking, or whether one sees this as a 19. natural occurrence; like the mini-ice age in the 1600s. I could agree with your "minimise flooding" if you did not propose building on existing flood plains, eg behind the Spa Road to Snowberry.
20. Similar comment to the above.
Melksham is included in these objectives and as such requires more thought towards the retail development of the town centre, highway capacity around and within the town, and the capacity for more housing to the East. 21.
Already planning is haphazard and in strong need of a proper ratail study.
I agree with all of the objectives with the exception of the climate change objective. I feel that this is something that 22. we have little effect on and that far too much emphasis is placed on this issue. I suspect that if a proper study was made of existing measures in this area we would find that some of the things we do are not cost or climate effective.
The priority order of these strategic objectives is bizzare. All the 9 items listed below number 1 are more important, 23. especially given the contrary scientific evidence for climate change.
Flood plains should maintained as far as possible as flood plains. Do not build on them so you do not have to spend 24. money afterwards trying to protect the buildings.
The only way to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases (which is what I assume by the rather woolly term 25. "address climate change") is to discover a viable alternative to fossil fuel. Until this is done, I cannot see any reduction in greenhouse gases - I don't believe any attempts to 'encourage' people not to travel won't work.
There is an endemic assumption that all the effects of climate change/global warming are as a result of man. This is not proven. It is mosly likely that the effects are a combination of natural cyclic changes in the global weather 26. patterns plus the effects of man. I would hope that the policies and strategies adopted will take a sensible approach and will recognise that whilst the man-made effects should be addressed, some changes are natural and enevitable and any amount of effort my man will have insignificant impact.
27. Including Melksham ?
28. But do not believe there is a willingness to tackle environmental issues of climate change.
29. Not necessarily in that order but agreed.
Reduce travel by keeping housing, employment and shopping close together/in town or as close as possible. E.g the 30. possible moving of Country Wide when Asda comes is what is needed.
31. who is going to pay for this? brilliant ideas
32. The rural factor is missing again.
Cut out the emphasis on "Climate change." I strongly object to the government thinking that this country should lead 33. the world on this doubtful science, let alone local councils.
They sound like noble objectives. I would not disagree with them in general. However, these objectives are not borne out in the Council's actions. 34. Why do you not collect cardboard for re-use (not for composting, whiuch is as bad as burning) when large diesel lorries are sent out each week to every house, but you expect people to drive to a local recycling centre? Why do you not collect plastic waste in those same lorries, instead of expecting people to drive to an amenity site?
35. It is not a function of a County Council to address climate change, only to minimise its contribution to it.
Putting climate change at the top is biased, misleading and divisive to try to get the answer WANTED...It deliberately makes people rearrange the list to explain their real view. Many will not bother of course. It should have had a space for a number to be inserted as the respondent's priority by each objective. A blanket yes or no requirement is restrictive and uninfomative.
The priorities I would allocate are as follows (with 1 being the top):
1. To provide for long term economic growth 2. To secure appropriate infrastructure and services 3. To meet Wiltshire's housing needs 36. 4. To encourage safe accessible places 5. To safeguard and promote a high quality built environment 6. To protect and enhance the natural environment 7. To enhance the vitality and viability of town centres 8. To minimise the risk of flooding
Knowing the Council definition of sustainable transport - I do not see this as having any priority in this form.
All forms of transport are sustainable and all transport conisdered as convenient to the majority should have priority facility (80% of families in Melksham have access to one or more car/s)
As indicated earlier anthropogenic climate change is a non-problem but of course we should prepare for cold winters and hot summers not knowing which way nature will go.
Yes BUT ... Wiltshire is also our education authority, isn't it
11. To provide schools which help develop the potential of Wiltshire's younger people and adults who wish to further 37. extend thempselves
12. Something about the happiness (and propserity?) of the people of Wiltshire?
Climate change should actualy be treat your planet with respect i.e non littering, recycling, not using up the earth's 38. resources. It is quite shocking how it is number 1 on your list. I want to see people's safety and well being at number 1.
Q4. Please indicate your opinion on the following questions with regards to the above plan (proposed development for Melksham Area)
(Red Shading) Preferred housing and mixed use option 4 10 12 10 12 48 (Gray Shading) Alternative housing and mixed use option 1 11 15 7 6 40 (Purple Line Shading) Potential future employment sites 14 23 7 6 5 55 Comments 45
I believe you're all missing a trick. Future sustainable employment will and must be built around a transport hub. Not everyone will be able to afford the luxury of their on vehicle as at present. There HAVE to be longer term plans put in place to locate future sites of employment close to the railway station towards the North of the town, and to extend the 1. station into a public transport (and taxi) interchange.
Oh and by the way, you've spelled "positive" wrong in question 6. This doesn't help to convey this serious message in a professional manner.
the grey shaded area is not good for development as it is such a lovely spot to enjoy for those of us who are immobile 2. and elderly and have moved delibetaley to enjoy the area.
Preferred housing option not keep on Bowerhill Farm "buffer" field and development behind the Spa. Footpath through 3. new school fields from new development would relieve Spa Rd.
I would like to see Residential areas grow in: -Bowerhill -Snowberry Lane area -Berryfields -Shurnhold BUT... At the entrance to Bowerhill I would like to see retail/ commercial along the major road, then a buffer of landscaping and bike path/ walkway, then some housing for single family on the residence side - shops such as - convience/ petrol/ eatery/ bank. On the commerical side (by Audi VW), I would like commerical/ retail that is more business oriented, such 4. as (i.e) Mail boxes etc, Starbucks - not necessarily that large, but offering those services. Behind those shops, walkways and cycleways and then industrial build up. At the next roundabout, behind Christie Miller, I would like to see a leisure area, both indoors and outdoors - cinema/ bowling something for youth. A cycleway linking to Christie Miller. Also complete the road between A350 and Bowerhill Industrial. On the same roundabout, across the A350 some commercial, such as petrol. convenience, then a cycle/walk way buffer then housing toward Berryfields, affordable housing and retirement. In Snowberry Lane area single family housing. In Shurnhold area - put affordable housing and retirement, and near rail station to allow those without cars the ability to take public transportation. We do not want to be jouned up, please leave between Melksham and Bowerhill green. Keep part of Newtown Farm green.
The 3 options for future development fail to consider all possible sites. Development in the rural buffer between Melksham and Bowerhill is unacceptable (as would it be between Melksham and Berryfield/ Beanacre/ Shaw). Most suitable site, North of A3102 (east of Burniston Park), has not been evaluated - this would meet the rural need for 5. housing land and be a logical and sustainable extension of the Town. Industrial development should not be considered on high grade agricultural land to the west of Semington Road. Other villages beside Atworth, which have just as many facilities, should be considered for limited development. New Road Farm land is good for development.
The fields either side of Park Road leading from A365 roundabout to Bowerhill were designated as a green space. I agree houses are needed, and would think a mixture of affordable plus private houses would be successful, but please not on the above fields. 6. Apart from being a pleasant approach to Bowerhill and keeping it as a seperate village, there would surely be extra traffic hazards. The roads in the area are very busy already at school times (without the additional Melksham Oak School traffic). Where would be the access from these houses? And what would be the density of building?
Please keep the green between Bowerhill and Melksham open as now, also the Cricket Pitch beside Avon Rubber on 7. Lancaster Road green as well.
Land south of the A365 is not suitable for new housing, because the road will split new residents from the town centre and inhibit the avoidance of car use for short trips. 8. No housing in between Melksham and Bowerhill. Planned building in red line shading area should enable a weight restriction in the town centre and Lowbourne.
We should not continue to expand to the east of Melksham using the identified grey area as the road system into the 9. town and around the east side is already under pressure.
10. Do not join the green fields between Melksham and Bowerhill. Keep the area of the works green.
11. The greenbelt between Melksham and Bowerhill was originally designated a green "lung" should be left as such. Ok as shown on preferred option plan, which shoes old rail line as boundary of southwards development. I would be very unhappy with any development beyond this line. 12. Need to keep canal environment free of any clutter of industry on banks. Wilts and Berks canal (being renovated) is not shown on map (?) It or the river (with enhanced banksides) could be made a very attractive feature, with cafes etc.
13. Bowerhill/ Melksham should remain seperate. No industrial; or house infill to the north. I.e clear belt between .
Do all houses have to be 3 storey esp if built next to bungalows. 14. Surely there will be enough houses without building behind the Savernake estate. There are problems with the drains in that area - very bad smells outside. Are they going to be rectified before putting up yet more houses?
16. Development sounds sensible.
Ensure there is a need for the additional housing before planning - where are the jobs for the people to go to. Put houses 17. near employment to reduce travel.
If extra housing is on Bowerhill or surrounding areas what is going to be done about the bottle neck of traffic from the A350 from Trowbridge through Melksham? 18. My concerns for extra housing would be more for the area becoming just somewhere for people to live and not building communities.
Too much housing planned and not enough infrastructure. Leave more greenbelt and encourage local high street 19. shopping.
20. Employment / retail development is on outskirts of town and will require transport.
Melksham is already nothing more than a dormitory town with nothing at it's heart. 21. The last thing it needs is more housing.
22. The Map shows limited planned employment space. Just look at the numbers of vacant property all ready available?
Strongly disagree on all areas as the areas are all prone to flooding and all very damaging to the influstructure of the 23. town
24. I am concerned about the seperate identity for Bowerhill and that the increased housing could remove this
there must be a balance between housing and employment land or you end up with a dormitory town or a commuter 25. industrial area.
The green area north of Hazelwood rd and Alder Way needs to be protected from development as it is an asset.
26. Also, a new road should be built through the planned development to the east of the town to take pressure off the town centre, running behind the spa surgery going north east to join the A3102
diffiicult to see the map clearly but now that those of us buying out property from new show be afforded the courtesy that social housing tenants in our neighbourhood are checked up on and made to keep their property tidy as here on 27. bowerhill many social house tenant cannot be bothered to even open the curtains, I know this has really nothing to do with the survey but I feel quite strongly about it
28. Do not build on the buffer land between Bowerhill village and Melksham town
Footpath between Semington Road and Spa Road for school users and Doctors surgery needs improvements and 29. relaying. The fields need to be open more and have stile access for tourists and locals.
While I support the expansion of the existing Bowerhill Industrial Estate with regard to the infill east of the old Semington Road, I feel that the area west of the old Semington Road (ie south of the existing Berryfield) should be earmarked for 30. housing. I wonder if there is also potential infill north of Berryfield for additional housing.
31. I have no opinion on either option, but the survey only allows me this opyion once! Reluctantly I accept that more housing is going to be needed and that the preferred option shown is the "least worst" 32. option for this.
33. I do not agree with more housing on the Bowerhill site
34. Map is such poor quality as to render detailed comment impossible.
35. I actually agree to all three, but your form does not allow you to do this when using the PC
Use some imagination -Get on with Riverside development, 36. -Turn King Street lorry park into a lido, -Move the Lorry Park!! It is illegal, contravenes EU regulations on ground not owned by the Council, a health hazard. Put onto Bowerhill Trading Estate.
Do not agree with development of housing between Bowerhill and Melksham – need green spaces for “unclutteredness” 37. people need space, wall to wall housing leads to more crime “enclosedness”, people feel better when there is open space.
Need more employment, leisure and social activities. Housing increases more commuter travel and less local usage as 38. easier to get to Trowbridge or Chippenham. Town centre is dead and you have to get there and pay for parking and still don’t get what you need.
39. Can’t read plan and don’t know Melksham enough to comment.
40. I could not quite read the map well enough to comment.
41. need more retail in town centre, other than supermarkets.
42. Development at Sahara sand pit would meet a lot of local opposition.
I cannot make out the map too well but suffice to say there needs to be a clear green buffer area between Bower Hill and 43. town to maintain the visual environment.
The more northerly half of the Northerly read area is fine … the other red areas are jealously guarded green space between Melksham and Bowerhill. That land could be used for playing fields and the purple area (purple missing from 44. key?) or the read area to its left for leisure / health area. Alternative housing is practical in the grey shaded areas, and in the area maked for industry adjoining Berryfield. The part of the shaded purple area futher south could indeed be further commercial, as could a band to the west of Countrywide farmers, between the railway line and the Bradfor-on-Avon road
45. map is too small to actually see where in Melksham this is!
Q5. Do you feel that extra housing expansion would have a positive or negative effect upon the local area?
Positive 31.1% 23 Negative 48.6% 36 No change to current 20.3% 15
Q6. Do you feel that extra industry would have a positive or negative effect on the local area?
Positive 80.5% 62 Negative 9.1% 7 No change to current 10.4% 8
Q7. Land use The proposal for development in the Melksham Area is shown on the map. What are your concerns about the impact of the proposed development in the Melksham Area?
There does not appear to be any provision for infrastructure to be put in place before allowing yet more housing development and further industrial development. Without an improved retail core, adequate health care facilities, more education facilities and better transport networks, more housing will only add to out- commuting and will not contribute to the wider community of our area. There is also no emphasis placed on regenerating existing developed sites for a long term sustainable future. Melksham has had a greater level of increase in houses since 2006 than even Trowbridge, but without any commensurate increase in facilities. This includes the 270 additional units on the George Ward School site which has never been in any strategic plan. The allocation of a further 400 in the period to 2026 is too many and needs to be restricted to around 200 at the most, given the uncertainty over future local employment prospects. It is questionable why only the village of Atworth should be deemed capable of taking more development, whereas other villages have a wider range of facilities or services. Limited development could benefit Shaw/Whitley and Broughton Gifford. Further land for employment on either side of the A350 Semington - Melksham Diversion (excluding the Christie Miller golf course) is well located to extend the existing employment areas, but should not extend 1. beyond Semington Road. Land to the west, all around Berryfield, is high grade agricultural land and so should not be considered for development of any kind. Sites close to the railway at Melksham should be given priority for employment use. Not all undeveloped land seems to have been assessed, but rather only land being offered by owners or promoted by developers, which can never form a strategy for the future. The out of town location of the new secondary school now appears to be being used as justification for inappropriate development. There should be NO DEVELOPMENT in ANY of the rural buffer areas at The Spa, Pathfinder Way or Western Way, nor indeed at Berryfield, Bath Road or Beanacre Road. At the time it was constructed, Snowberry Lane surgery was the only development that was permissible in the rural buffer between the town and the historic spa. The Cornflower Way area has a heavily planted green bund bordering Western Way to complement the rural buffer to the south of the road. Suggesting these rural buffer areas as the preferred sites for development is illogical and totally unacceptable. The best location for further housing development is on land immediately adjacent to Burniston Park eastwards along the north side of A3102. This land has good road access, is close to many facilities, and would extend development from a point that has remained static for around 35 years, to balance that currently under construction on the southern side of A3102.
It's in completely the wrong place, for a number of reasons.
a) You should be looking at removing traffic and industry as far away from the new school as possible for the safety of children and parents - not trying to attract as much into the same space as you can and thus making the route even busier than at present
2. b) The majority of people of Melksham generally have much closer ties to Bath and Chippenham than they do to Devizes, so again it makes sense to concentrate development on the northern side of the town.
c) Even a child can see that the map of Melksham (above) is unbalanced. There is a hug gap towards the north which is begging to be filled. Why will nobody ever consider merging Beanacre and Melksham? It's the busiest route in and out of the town and thus the obvious place for ribbon development of housing and light industry.
Previously commented that infrastructure as a concept needs to be re-thought to be more climate - friendly eg cycle paths planned in from the start, wildlife areas protected etc. Eco-friendly housing and premises for industry would minimise adverse impact of development. 3.
Possibel adverse effecets - wildlife, drainage, both impacts can be lessedned with careful planning, especially if housing is eco friendly.
We do need more employment to help people stay in the town.
Has the infrastructure been properly assessed and catered for to support all future developing? 4.
Mixed development sites, ie private and social, are not a good idea because property values suffer as a consequence. Why should someone pay thousands of pounds to buy a house then have a "welfare" family moved in next door? Family homes and starters will be good to keep young people in the area.
Big expansion in Melksham industry - has this been matched by industrial expansion - Expansion of local jobs 5. would reduce travel
6. Too much of it will overload the local facilities.
I have it on good authority that the new school development on the Devizes Road is causing the increase in static water in the culvert on the Snowberry Lane Estate. At this moment King George Playing Field is hooded 7. at the childrens play area. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to realize that when the "Clackers Brook" development reaches fruition in a few years time serious hood issues will occur. To build more houses on the site of the preferred option is madness.
Not convinced. Developers never deliver the full shopping list of 'possible' planning gains used to get 8. permission. Melksham is too dependent on one or two large employers.
West Wilts in general is becoming, in my opinion, overcrowded we a constant drift of people moving into the 9. area from outside, inceasing the amount of housing etc encourages even more migration into the area
No problem with the areas proposed for development but the infrastructure (schools, doctors, dentists, shops) needs to go in as well. All development would have a negative impact without proper planning. To date there has been a lack of planning in Melksham. For example there is no primary school north of the river, nor a doctors surgery, nor a dentist. yet we are building surgeries virtually next door to each other and 10. developing primary schools next door to each other.
The additional housing will have a detrimental effect on the roads. An adequate bypass or ring road is necessary in order to make Melksham safe. There is already heavy traffic going down Queensway which is a residential road. This needs to be rectified.
11. Definitely need to attract more industry/jobs
12. Please keep green between Bowerhill and Melksham and also the cricket pitch at Lancaster Road
13. If we have extra housing we will need extra facilities with extra housing ie doctors, dentists etc.
Has concern is the focus is on Melksham. If you want the villages involved you need to include us in your 14. thinking.
15. How will employment growth tie in with new housing build?
16. Not enough facilities to support additional housing.
Too much on to the South East side away from the town centre and joins Bowerhill to Melksham. It is a 17. seperate village!
18. To much housing
Melksham will just become one large housing estate with no amenities and no green space. I for one will 19. move awy from the area if this happens, my neighbours are of the same view
20. lack of improvement of services and facilities
There needs to be sufficient community infrastructure alongside this massive proposal. A Primary Care Centre, local amenity shops, maybe another school as the new school will simply be replacing the old George 21. Ward school, and entertainment for all ages: cinema, bowling, national restaurant chains etc. Public transport needs to be greatly improved as well. If all of these ideas are considered, then the impact will be less than if none of this is done.
The total lack of a regeneration activity in the town center will keep people away. All the town center has to 22. offer is "closed on Wednesday" unless you are looking for a sleezy bar. 23. The flooding it will bring and the more pressure it will put on an already tired and aged water/sewage system
More housing in the Bowerhill area - may result in more gangs of teenagers. Not much for them to do in the 24. area.
25. None
See 4 above. Would also like to see consideration being given to other options such as the development of a marina in conjunction with any development of the Wilts Berks Canal. Melksham has had over the years some 26. poor quality housing and business development. We should be seeking ways to enhance the town centre and build on the benefits of the river and canal
27. Building on the buffer zone between Bowerhill and Melksham.
28. Roadworks. Endless roadworks.
29. Too much green field will be lost.We need as a country to become more self sufficient in food production.
1. Some build on the flood plain. 2. For the size of the area the hospital needs to be reinstated with a MIU. 30. 3. You are ignoring previous structure plan policies and prposing build on buffer land. Makes one wonder what the point of a structure plan is, when it is overturned a few years later.
The town centre does not do enough to support the residential expansion plans, and itself requires investment. 31. It is pointless expanding residential areas without ensuring people use their local town. Melksham town centre is dead on its feet, with too many fast food outlets etc. and not enough quality shops, or leisure facilities. (Missed opportunity in developing the GEC site for example!).
Green land will be consumed into the Melksham estate to the detriment of the present population leaving little 32. open space and division between the communities.
33. roads and railway are to the west,development is to east.Where is the plan for a new hospital?
My main concern is that the healthcare infrastructure (doctors, dentists, hospitals) will be inadequate to cope with the housing increase - hospital cover is considered inadequate by most residents, even today. My 34. secondary concern is that the public transport system (trains, buses to outlying centres such as Bath, Swindon, Salisbury) will be inadequate - they are now.
35. No opinion
Light industrial around the Bowerhill Estate (purple) is understandable, but light industrial use of the scrap 36. yard by the train station would require large scale decomtamination and draining of the marsh
37. It would be better to have a green buffer between Melksham and Bowerhill.
Development of some industry is also a necessary evil, if only to provide local employment opportunities and 38. would seem best concentrated in the marked areas. Living in Sherwood Avenue I would not favour Alternative Option 1 for Alternative Housing and Mixed use.
39. We do not have the infrastruce in place
No further developement on the flood plain should be considered due to potential risk of flooding or increased 40. costs due to new flood defenses if more developement takes place in areas of risk..
Additional housing should attract investment by employers in new employment opportunities, and both should 41. attract further investment in Melksham by big retail outlets (but not more supermarkets - we have enough!).
42. Road links and infrastructure will be pushed to the limits. Current road congestion is already a problem
43. Increased congestion on local roads and the link road to the M4 45. None
46. More traffic
47. Use of Greenfield sites
48. Loss of green belt land.
49. level of healthcare facilities and public transport is not reduced to surrounding villages
50. I could not quite read the map well enough to comment.
51. That the infrastructure is in place.
52. Congestion - the implied extra road useage to/from the new school is already worrying.
future employment development is fine, but without further development to the inferstructure and a new 53. hospital any new housing of a large scale will put to much strain on our schools and Doctors
54. Happy with proposals.
loss of rural buffer between Melksham and Bowerhill. If this goes ahead, Melksham Town and Melksham 55. without parish should be combined.
Inadequate road infrastructure and parking for all those extra cars especially at the new homes with crazy 56. government car parking planning guidance i.e. up to two car parking should be minimum of one car parking for each bedroom of the house to be realistic but realism is the last thing I expect nowadays.
I am concerned that additional development will not be supported by suitable infrastructure. In particular public transport links require improvement. The train service needs to be improved to somewhere in the 57. region of six trains a day in each direction. The bus service - especially the Bath service needs overhaul to provide a 1/2 hourly service.
Town centre is already crowded traffis wise, even if the shopkeepers say it's quiet. To come with already authorised housing, let alone further housing, an improved local bus service should be provided to be in place 58. for people to use from the new housing as soon as they move in - to form a habit rather than to have them buy 2nd cars and THEN lay on a bus
59. That we do not have too much social housing that then houses council tenants from other towns
Lack of doctors and dental surgeries in Melksham to cope with extra people. If we get more house can we 60. please have our A&E back?
Q8. Housing There is a proposal from Wiltshire Council to build 400 houses in the Melksham Community Area. What kind of houses do you think should be built?
Starter Homes 37.6% 32 Affordable Housing 42.4% 36 Socail Housing 14.1% 12 Family Homes 56.5% 48 Retiremant Homes 21.2% 18 No preference 12.9% 11
Q9. Where in the Melksham Area do you think the housing should be built?
North 13.1% 8 East 18.0% 11 South 3.3% 2 West 6.6% 4 Mixture of areas 52.5% 32 Agree with proposed plan 21.3% 13 Comments 15
1. Apart from my previous comments
2. Do you mean Melksham or the whole area?
3. Do you mean Melksham or the whole area?
4. Use of brownfield such as of B3107 near Country Wide.
Melksham does not need more housing. One only need look atthe housing estate built on the Devizes road between Boerhil Lane and Falcon way to see what cynical marketing by developers leads to. 5. The houses are built too close together with inadequate parkingand postage stamp sized gardens and the trend toward 3 level houses is simply to cram more boxes on the same sized plot of land and to maximise profits for the developer while treating people like battery hens.
None - Brown field sites that are no longer in use like the car lot/petrol station opposite Awdry Avenue that has 6. been derelict for the past 8 years!
7. Look to infill the area around the proposed bypass and the route of the Wilts and Berks Canal
8. should be eco-friendly houses
affordable housing should be just that AFFORDABLE Lower spec houses for 1st time buyers NOT houses for thee 9. career benefit scroungers and young women who make a career from child birth and not necessarily with the same father
10. The reasoning for Option 1 is sound, but the infill between the town and Bowerhill will not be popular! Asa stated earlier, there is scope for housing between Melksham centre and Berryfield. Would prefer also, housing (not industry) south of Berryfield.
Our ability to service more housing has to be questioned. Therefore I am against more than the 750 houses 11. already planned.
The large increase in housing in the Melksham / Wiltshire area is ill thought out and does not go hand-in-hand with 12. corresponding increases in local amenities. As such, no new housing should be built until new facilities are made available to cope with the additional population.
13. Development of Brown Field and empty properties
to many to the east will upset Bowerhill, likewise the buffer between Atworth and Melksham should remain the 14. same.
15. See previous comments
Q10. Employment How could you reduce your journey times to your place of work?
1. I work in Corsham. There is no direct bus service and no train service at all. You tell me.
2. Use train, bicylcle where possibel to ease congestions. Have flexi-working, home working, teleconferencing
3. I couldn't.
4. Live close to my place of work
5. NA - retired
6. Better public transport to London
7. Better public transport to London.
8. By taking redundancy and retiring
9. Lucky enough to walk
10. I couldn't as I work in Bath - no train and the bus service is too slow, too infrequent
11. I work all over Great Britain and France
Build better roads, repair roads properly rather than the cheap patching that you currently do. Stop inconveniencing the motorist for politically correct policies which favour cyclists, pedestrians and empty buses. 12. Why should I want to reduce my journey times? My assumption is that this question will in some way be hijacked and the answers twisted to support some sanctimonious green initiative that no one really wants.
I live within cycling distance so have no issues here. My employer supplies a coach for others who live further 13. away.
14. less traffic congestion
15. Live and work in Bowerhill.
16. If there was a regular train service from Melksham to Trowbridge or Chippenham. 17. N/A
18. work from home for the last 22 years
19. Move to Melksham
20. If the A350 through Beanacre was better able to handle the volume of traffic using it.
21. Not applicable (retired)
22. I am a nurse at the RUH and already car share where possible
23. Retired
Go by helicopter. I go by car in 20 minutes by the most direct route. By bus takes 45 minutes, provided there is no 24. hold up in Devizes. Before this job I went to Bristol by train from Melksham, but when the train service was cut I abandoned the train.
Improved bus timetables and services, regular, more frequent train services to and from Melksham and cycleways 25. might all reduce the volume of vehicles to and from Melksham
26. n/a
27. Retired, but if I worked I would welcome a designated (ie off-road) cycle and footpath network throughout the area.
28. Retired.
29. Better rail access.
Change jobs. 30. Move house. Break the speed limits.
31. Run instead of walk! Walking takes only 6 minutes.
32. More trains
33. Improved access to bowerhill ind est
34. open the releif road onto Bowerhill by the police station and avoid the congestion at the top roundabout.
35. Make another entrance to the Bowerhill Industrial area, directly to the A350
36. Buy a helecopter. Get another job.
37. Move to Melksham
Live nearer. 38. Improved transport links e.g. rail
39. Ceation of access road from A350 to Westinghouse Way (Bowerhill)
40. Set up cycle paths
41. retired
42. retired so not applicable
43. I am retired
44. work from home. 45. I work from home most of the time.
46. Not possible
better Rail links, better road system, ie get the new road on the eastern development inplace, reduce the burden 47. of traffic on the town centre.
48. Frequent rain link between Melksham & Chippenham.
49. I can't as I work outside the area covering the whole of the South West region.
50. by living closer to work
1 Drive faster 2 Door to door journeys requiring adequate parking 51. 3 Staggered working hours may help reduce journey time for some. 4 Better parking facilities at schools would help reduce time on school runs
I cycle to work and journey time is not an issue except when I need to take a bus (I work on Bowerhill and will 52. soon be moving from "The Spa" to "Bath Road"). The bus timetable needs overhauling.
53. I couldn't practically do so.
I work in Semington. I cycle in good weather but my car journey was doubled when the Semington Road was 54. closed in favour of the new bypass. Semington Rd could be re-opened for light traffic (or access) only, sending trucks etc down the bypass.
55. I work in Melksham so could only do that by working from home
Q11. Do you have any issues regarding local employment?
Comments 46 answered question 46 skipped question 111
1. No
2. No
3. There needs to be MORE local employment
4. The number of businesses need to be increased - we are too reliant on Avon Tires.
5. No
6. More retail business would bring more employment and local amenities
7. There is insufficient
8. none - sufficient employment for current community
There are several large employers locally, however, most of them are not taking on staff. Those that are, only take 9. on people with specific skills.
10. no
Yes putting in a Weatherspoons in the old Woolworths store is in everybody Ive spoken to a bad idea. Why cant 11. the council ask the current landlord if this can become a market place or small shopping mall of stalls 12. No.
13. None
Only that the high street is unacceptable, with the addition of two new supermarkets we need to do more to 14. improve our town centre and the area around the river
15. local businesses need to be encouraged and involved at all opportunities.
16. No
17. Would like more employment opportunities in Melksham, eg a governemnet dept.
18. Yeah. There isn't any.
19. Given the current economic situation how can businesses be encourage to move into the area.
20. Yes keep it at Bowerhill and around the Station and where it exists
Yes. Show me a large Government employer in Melksham. One needs to be able to have a job with a future, else 21. one will move around finding jobs wherever they are and if this means Swindon then people will commute regardless of your plan to reduce transport out of the area.
Very limited employment opportunities currently. Improvements in the economy and additional local industry might 22. help.
23. No. Suspect many people commute out.
24. None
25. Too much reliance on big employers such as Avon. What happens when these big employers relocate overseas?
26. Can we attract more high-tech companies and increase the average pay levels of the area?
27. no
28. attract more business into the area
29. No
30. No
31. No
32. No
33. no
34. see above
35. No
36. No
37. No.
38. No
39. no
40. No, but I would want to see incentives in place to encourage businesses to move into Melksham and the surroundings areas to provide local employment opportunities for the residents of Melksham. There simply isn't enough variety of employment hence the reason why many people treat Melksham as a dormitory town.
41. no...supply and demand
There needs to be more of it in Melksham specifically but also in Wiltshire generally of course. I am not too 42. enchanted by Chippenham and Trowbridge getting the lion's share. I would rather see greater prosperity for Melksham
43. Not at present.
There is a need to retain local employment (we're a very good employment town already) and encourage more to 44. provide jobs for people moving to the area. Local facilities, transport, carefully tuned parking should encourage people who work in Melksham, even if they don't live here, to make use of local services.
45. Concerns that Avon may close and we need to attract larger employers in the new areas of development
the council needs to allow businesses to come to Melksham so that youngster can get jobs in their towns, that way 46. there will be less need to drive so helping the climate
Q12. Do you use public transport?
All of the time 7.3% 6 Some of the time 69.5% 57 Never 23.2% 19
Q13. If so what kind? Trains 57.1% 36 Buses 73.0% 46 Taxis 25.4% 16
Q14. What prevents you using public transport and how might it be improved?
Can we have bus Bowerhill and town centre to station? Lousy public transport Sunday. No way to Lacock, Chippenham, Trowbridge. Sunday trains – no way back Summer and market day extra buses – Sells Green Caravan 1. Lack of travel – bus – info. Need a degree to read it (eg Yorkshire has times from THIS bus stop. Atworth to Chip/Trow uncommutable by public transport (times and changes) No buses in Hazelwood estate
I would use buses more if there was a direct service to Corsham. I'd use the train a LOT more if there was a service 2. which ran at sensible times of the day.
3. Limited trains from Melksham
Currently use bus services to Trowbridge, Chippenham, Bath, Devizes from Whitley butmost services need a long walk 4. into Melksham, Leekes. An improved rail service to Trowbridge/ Bath/Chippenham/Swindon would be a big improvement ie more frequent and more options.
5. Stagger the running of the Faresaver and First buses to give a half hour service instead of hourly.
6. Station on edge of town, not accessible, too few trains 7. No need or desire to.
Increase rail service to hourly and provide bus stops at station. Also taxi rank, better walk ways to station adn a map 8. there/ train times/ information point (that works).
9. Train station to remote and service small
10. insufficient trains, rubbish service. need more frequent buses.
11. Poor train services. Bus and trains link up at station.
12. there are insufficient trains to use. Lat trains back to Melksham are too early for workers in Swindon or Chippenham.
Journey time, poor service. 13. Better local train service to London. (E.g from Melksham or Devizes)
14. Jouney time, poor service. Better local train service to London, or from Melksham to Devizes.
15. Extend public transport towards Sandridge Road (a main road). Forest Road is not convenient.
I use buses occasionally, but living in Bowerhill I can only go to Bath or Devizes, links are bad in town centre to get to 16. Trowbridge and Chippenham.
17. Make it cost effective.
I need to be trained (blind). Bus stops need to be improved (Trowbridge) e.g how can I feel which is my bus if it does 18. not stop in the right place?
19. From Bowerhill I can only go to Devizes or Bath. Connections are not convenient.
20. Easier to use a car.
21. Local transport should be expanded and based more on buses and coaches, not rail.
22. Limited access & times
23. Not frequent enough (buses), no trains
24. A van load of kit and working in remote places no where bus routes.
Public transport is an outdated concept from the past and is only relevent to those who do not own a car. 25. It is inconvenient, dirty, impersonal and expensive,
26. More frequent and reasonably priced public transport between Melksham/Trowbridge/Devizes and Bath
Nothing other than the space allowcation. How would I bring back the weekly shopping for a family of five on a bus or 27. train?
28. More buses and trains and varying routes to access towns and cities
29. The train time table from Melksham is rubbish so I have to drive to chippenham and catch the train from there.
30. No train station in Melksham
Routes e.g. from Bowerhill you can only travel to Devizes or Bath. In frequent service my e.g my son works in Bath 31. finishing at 6.30 and has to wait until 8.20 for a return Bus. This means also that buses are full and passengers have to stand.
frequency, costs, suitable routes. 32. Improve coverage, reduce fares. 33. A distinct lack of
I only occasionally use the bus to get to Chippenham. But I find it much easier to use my car. As it is only 7 miles up 34. the road, it doesn't justify waiting an hour to take a bus.
35. More convenient to use the car. Bus service too infrequent
I am very bad at sitting down and trying to plan a journey on the bus it is too easy to use the car which I appreciate is 36. wrong
37. Would use trains if more stopped at Melksham
Frequency and time. I know that buses are de-regulated, but on competitive routes one comes along about 2 minutes 38. before the next and then nothing for an hour or more. This is daft. Regulation is needed.
39. More bus provision providing regular, timely services
40. Rail link to Swindon, Trowbridge/Chippenham
41. I drive.
Buses to key locations like Bath or Salisbury are too infrequent (hourly), expensive, and tend to be crowded at peak 42. times. I would use the train more but the service is far too sparse with no backup (miss the one return train and you've had it!)
43. Adquate bus services within the Melksham area.
44. But only an hourly service, more frequent.
More regular services required from Melksham to surronding locals, especially Salisbury and Bath. Current options are 45. unusable
The poor almost non existant rail service is a deterrant to using that medium. I strongly agree that the railway station is grossly under used. An increased service should be fought for in the immediate future let alone 2026, in addition bus 46. connections to the station should be made once the service is improved. (Service 14 has the capacity and the longer distance services could have as well.)
47. Unreliable and expensive bus and train transport. Greater investment and cheaper fares would help.
The train does not go where I need to go and if it does it is usually more expensive than driving with a family. Buses do 48. not run at the required times from or through many of the local villages. Taxis are very expensive when they have to travel out to villages to collect or drop off.
49. Trains that run through to London would be useful. At present have to travel to Chippenham or Trowbridge.
Not always convenient 50. Buses take too long due the numerous stops - not direct
51. Cost and difficulty in getting transport due to shift patterns
52. There is no service from West Ashton. I use trains whenever posible
53. No buses from Bradford-on-Avon to Melksham at convenient times.
54. High cost, unreliable service, fellow passengers
55. Too Expensive
56. No suitable connections
57. Too costly in peak times 58. Unreliability of times
59. The buses do not run at times I wish to travel. We can go out but no buses to return home !
60. service limitations in rural areas means I do not use it as often as I would
61. Trains too expensive
62. Doesn't run frequently enough - but wouldn't expect it to through the villages.
63. Provision of more and reliable services
Lack of freedom. 64. Cost of trains.
65. cost
1. More frequesnt busses. 66. 2. Free parking in railway stations. 3. Local 'busses to more towns than just Melksham.
67. convenience and time.
68. question 15 answers this one
69. Inadequate train service from Melksham. Buses very expensive.
Not a practical and reliable enough method of transport to get to my customers who are located throughout the South 70. West region. There isn't enough flexibility in the routes available from Melksham.
71. Poor train service to Bath
availability. Bus travel should be free at point of use. Required services should be identified, paid for by the council and 72. costs recovered from the local precept. that way we all pay for it and only get value for money if we use the service.
Why would I wait round for public transport and rely on buses when I have a convenient car for journeys to work, 73. council offices, shopping, school runs etc. I'm not that daft.
Train times are abysmal. The Bath bus service is silly as two buses depart for Bath within a few minutes of each other. 74. These should be staggered so they tun every 1/2 hour.
75. Lack of services at appropriate times and poor connections
bus times are not convenient to my working hours (9-5 in Semington). There are no trains from Melksham to anywhere 76. anyone would want to go - and even if there were, ther eis no bus to get to the station!
77. trains do not run to bath or chippenham. they need to be more frequnet
Melksham has hardly any trains going at times that are convenient and they are VERY expensive. The buses are so 78. expensive (my son is at university at they have exceptionally cheap bus and train fees up north.
Q15. If the rail service was improved would you use it?
Yes 84.3% 70 No 15.7% 13
Q16. If you used the train, where would you travel to and what for?
Bath, shopping, monthly. London, business, weekly. 1. Reading, business, weekly. Longer distances bi-monthly for breaks and holidays
2. to Melksham from Trowbridge for work.
3. Swiondon, London, Bristol
4. I use the metrobus and would certainly use the railway if there was a service to connect with the service.
5. would use a train to Swindon if there was more than a 7.30 oneWould
6. Probabaly wouldnt use it much because of the price of the fares
7. Depends on the improvement
8. Bath, London
Would use rail service if there were many more trains stopping. Travel to Chippenham, Swindon, Bath and 9. London.
10. More trains and date time service and sundays.
11. shopping or days out 12. To travel to Bristol and Bath.
13. If I had someone with me.
14. depends where the train went to - I work in Bath, travel to London a lot
15. London once a year
16. Bath and Bristol for shopping
17. Social, domestic and pleasure...
18. Day trips, breaks etc
Melksham - London 19. Melksham - Swindon
20. Bath, Bristol, London - social, shopping.
21. To Trowbridge or Chippenham for work
22. Swindon, Bath, Bristol, Salisbury - social and domestic usage.
23. Swindon, Bristol, Salisbury
24. Social and pleasure
Southampton - friends and family. 25. Swindon - football.
26. pleasure mostly
27. London for shows and the like, Swindon, Salisbury.
Salisbury, Bath, Swindon, Chippenham, Bradford and Trowbridge. Generally further afield if Melksham had a 10 28. trains a day service because one could get out and back without having to travel far too early in the morning and arriving back only at about 1900.
29. Westbury or Chippenham and on to London
salisbury for leisure.Bath for leisure. 30. interconnect for london,southampton,bristol etc
31. Swindon, London, Weymouth, Plymouth, Oxford. Leisure.
32. No longer needed.
33. Would use it for connections to London and Salsibury.
34. Bath & Salisbury - evening leisure activities
35. To visit family (son in Cardiff) and maybe for holiday connections as well as shopping trips further afield.
36. Mainly London for business and pleasure
37. All over south of England for social and pleasure.
London for business, pleasure (visits to the theatre) and visit family. HOWVER, train prices must be competitive 38. with other forms of transport, which at present they are not.
39. Bath - social Swidon - shopping
40. Bath, Bristol, London etc pleasure purposes
41. I use it from Trowbridge to Bath and Chippenham / Westbury to London regularly
42. Bradford on Avon to Melksham
43. It's cheaper for me to get a taxi in to work that take the train from where I live.
44. Bath Swindon Bristol for social
45. Commuting
46. Work if cheap enough
47. Bath - leisure / shopping
48. Seaside for holidays
Chippenham foe work 49. Elsewhere for leisure
I use it now, mainly to Bath. I feel this service has an adequate time table and there has been recent 50. improvements in the quality of the rolling stock
51. Various for pleasure
52. Bath
53. Bath, Bristil and on holiday
54. bradford on avon - bath, bristol
55. Possibly Bath, possibly London when I have to attend meetings. But these aren't regular journeys.
56. London on business
57. any where and every where, pleasure
58. Chippenham, Bath, Bristol for work & social.
59. Travelling to training courses for work. mainly travel to Bath, Bristol and London.
60. London and Bristol for client meetings.
61. swindon lesuire
62. Bath to shop and socialise
Trowbridge...work 63. Salisbury, Cardiff Swindon shopping
i) Travel to Exeter at weekends. 64. ii) regular days out by rail at weekends. iii) Fishing Trips to Weymouth via Trowbridge.
I already use the train, most of my journeys being long distance ones, but I am often obliged to connect into a bus at Bath or Chippenham due to the lack of trains without a very long wait indeed. Journeys .... Oxford, London, 65. Taunton, Cambridge, Portsmouth at the moment. Better service and I sould use it for many more local jouneys - Salisbury, Swindon and Chippenha, Bath and Bristol. I would use the train to go to Chippenham, Trowbridge, Bath for shopping. My son would use the train for work in 66. Trowbridge if it ran at convenient times.
67. would use it for shopping in local towns
68. To the coast for days out with my daughter, to Bristol/Swindon for shopping trips. To Bolton to visit my son.
Q17. Are the road networks adequate for you?
Yes 67.1% 55 No 32.9% 27 Comments 35
There really, really needs to be a road which joins up the Calne road into Melksham and the Devizes/Trowbridge ring- 1. road (and thence to the Western Way and on to Bath and Chippenham)
2. Too many potholes, especially Halifax Rd on Bowerhill
3. road network around town needs upgrade
4. need some improvement in state of repair and making access to and from Melksham and the Motorway easier.
5. Should be a by-pass around Melksham from Bowerhill to Lackham.
Melksham gets clogged up, it needs a ring road or proper bypass so that heavy traffic doesnt have to go through the 6. town centre or residential streets.
Extension of road from police HQ to Bowerhill would be advantageous. This would releave congestion. 7. I don't see any car parks marked. A big disinsetive is expensive car parks as at Chippenham, Trowbridge, Bath etc.
Can something be done about the bottlenecks from King Street? Would it be feasible to have a one way system up Spa 8. Rd and down King St?
Put a 7.5 tonne weight limit on Queensway and Blackmore Road immediately. This will avoid damage to historic buildings and communities. 9. Put a 20 mph speed limit on King Street with traffic calming - excessive speed is a serious hazard to pedestrians and residents of King Street and Semington Rd.
10. They are full of potholes which I navigate round to avoid tyre and wheel damage.
Constant restrictions being placed on the free movement of trafic. 11. Roads being narrowed, traffic "calming" and the abysmal state of the road surface.
12. Poor quality, congestion, cost of parking and availability.
13. All except for the pot holes
14. The bypass to the North of the Town is required sooner rather than later.
15. Roads around Melksham need improving to avoid bottlenecks.
16. Although Beanacre A350 struggles with weight of traffic.
17. A350 very conjested - increase in housing/ employment opportunities particularly in Trowbridge will add to this.
18. A350 needs to be duelled, also link A350 from Beanacre, to the new bypass around Melksham, then make it a trunk rd. The County have provided some upgrades to the A350, but created more traffic jams as traffic has been discouraged 19. from the A36/A46. The A36/A46 link should be built as proposed in the BB2SC Study recommendations
But would observe that Melksham desperately needs an eastern bypass - traffic passing from Devizes to Calne has to go 20. through the town centre
21. No attention is being given to the amount of traffic using the roads into the town centre - Spa Road in particular.
22. Quality of road surfaces are substantially below par, and more investment is required in these areas.
23. Better public transport would make the use of existing roads easier.
24. Too many potholes
25. Too many potholes and damaged verges.
26. But in desperate need of repair - far too many pot holes causing damage to vehicles.
27. Route up to the M4 should be made dual carriageway.
28. The Cheltenham bypass is always too congested at peak times.
29. I live just off the A350. It is very congested at peak times and is getting worst.
I really do wish that HGV and through-traffic could be routed through the trunk roads and MWays so that smaller A roads (e.g. A365 through Shaw/Atworth/Box) could have 20mph zones in the villages. 30. This is a really important "quality of life" issue, apart from the CO and particulate emissions caused in such residential areas.
31. But only just coping.
On the whole, the road network is adequate but at peak times, Melksham can become gridlocked by the school trips meeting through trafic. So Melksham could do with a bypass on the A350 to funnel passing traffic around, leaving the school runs to be made thereby reducing the impact of congestion. I also think that when the new Oak Community school 32. is opened, there should be a shuttle bus service introduced to ferry pupils in to the school from all around the area instead of allowing hoardes of private car drops. This would benefit the environment too, let alone the stress this causes for commuters!
33. The roads need to be improved in condition, width and design to facilitate faster more comfortable journeys.
As a cyclist I experience the pot holes in the roads around Melksham. In particular Spa Road between the garage and 34. Market place is very poor and the road near the Kings Arms is also bad.
35. But I appreciate that a few link roads would make a huge difference to others
Q18. Are the cycle routes adequate for you?
Yes 50.0% 32 No 50.0% 32 Comments 44
Berryfield – M. Oak, paths for children? Shails lane crossing. Cycleway along A365 from A350 to Spa Cycling – more logical routes. Signpost them! Cycle lock places please. 1. Bowerhill to canal – fine but you need to know route (and fill muddy hole). Bowerhill/Spa roundabout fine but on from there? Old W&B Canal? Cycle routes need signposting and showing on pavement
2. There are no cycle-routes to anywhere unless you fancy a jaunt along the canal. Even the route from Melksham to Chippenham, which the Times and the Telegraph have both heralded as one of the five best routes in the UK, is currently closed because of a landowner dispute at Lacock. Someone really needs to be addressing that, and urgently.
3. Woefully inadequate
4. Are there any/ many cycle routes?
5. don't cycle os not really a sensible question
6. Cycle routes need to improve to prevent people cycling on the pavement (which is illegal).
7. It is difficult to know when to cycle on the pavement and when not to as there seems to be no consistency.
8. need more. you take your life into your hands getting on a bike!
9. n/a
10. Every road development and bypass should include cycle routes espeacially to the schools.
11. None in immediate area
Ive not used them as I do not know much about them - it would be nice if Melksham Town Council had a web link 12. showing the cycle paths and walks around the town.
13. Don't cycle
14. More cycle routes please.
What cycle routes!! The route from back of Bowerhill to the Canal has been enhanced but the connection to the 15. new footpath/cycle path is unacceptable and work is required to bring the bridle path that leads up to it up to standard
16. I don't use them.
17. do not cycle
18. Too disjointed.
19. Many trunk roads are totally unsuitable for cyclists
20. Only badly maintained!
What cycle routes? Such as they are are sometimes on the road and sometimes on the pavement - one is never 21. sure which. One is a hazard to cyclists; the other is a hazard to pedestrians. It needs dedicated routes.
22. Do not ride
Due to the poor road surfaces - see above - and combination of cycle and pathways, cycling is not as easy as it 23. should be. During the winter, the cycle route was also frozen which rendered it completely impassable for approximately 15 days.
It would be good to extend the cycle path from Lacock to Melksham, either along the river or perhaps along a 24. restored Wilts & Berks Canal.
There now seems to be a belief by cyclists that ALL pavements are cycle tracks, and pedestrians (like me) are an 25. inconvenience to them! Stop creating cycle tracks on pavements where there is no good reason to.
26. Improve cycle paths It is dangerous to ride on the A350 to melksham from the south. (ie from westbury, steeple, west ashton to 27. Melksham if you ride on the A350 god help you)
28. More safe cycling routes through Melksham town. Safe cycle route to Chippenham and Calne.
29. No direct experience
30. Much more required.
31. More cycling ways and cycling parking slots to lock up bikes.
32. Do not ride a bike
33. N/A
34. I do not cycle.
35. We should learn from some of the European countries and build separate cycle routes.
There is insufficient protection for cyclists along most of the roads in the locality. This results in the unnacceptable 36. use of pavements by cyclists especially the young. Simply transferring risk of injury from raod to pavement and from cyclist to pedestrian is not acceptable.
37. No cycle lanes between local towns.
The current cycle paths do not link up at all well around the town and dedicated and PROTECTED cucle routes 38. should be considered i.e. dedicated lane AWAY from the public highway. We have the space to do this.
39. There are too few
40. I don't use cycle routes
41. Poorly signposted and often a long way round.
There are non to speak of in Melksham. Trying to ride a bike through the town centre is terrifying. I cycle to 42. Semington (which with the road closed is good), but the cycle paths dont match up properly.
43. They are improving but could be better for getting into the town center from bowerhill area
I'd like to be able to take my 7 year old daughter cycyling from Melksham to Trowbridge or Chippenham but cycle 44. routes are alonside very busy roads or non existent
Q19. Please enter any other comments regarding Transport
Our railway service is an embarrassment and I don't feel the Wiltshire Council are at all interested in helping to 1. improve that. As with so many other things, Chippenham and Trowbridge are fairly well served, so to hell with the rest of the county.
It would be great if there was a bus route connecting the local villages to Melksham - I think because the major 2. bus route through Seend connects to Trowbridge and Devizes then it encourages shoppers to go there instead of Melksham which is much closer.
3. Roundabouts on bypass too fast they exclude town traffic
would use buses more if the companies gave more detailed timetables. Broughton Gifford not well served by 4. buses. MCFG is about to link with those who have already drawn up ideas fro improved cycling facilities in Melksham and made proposals and will shortly be contacting the relevent Wilts Council officer Remove speed bumps as it shakes my house and other houses!! Cracks have appeared with commercial traffic travel too fast! 5. Use other method please to show down traffic creating parking spaces etc. For Melksham to gtow commercially need to invest in better road structure A350 needs to be improved dual - carriageway.
6. Local bus service should include links to station for commuters.
Changes to the main highways through Melksham to provide a more collective traffic plan. Improved pedestrian area. 7. Improved parking on A350. Roundabout junction with (north) bridge over river to services to and Town Centre and maximise riverside walk
8. Seems crazy running so many buses empty. if so few use them, why have so many????
9. Local transport is very good but connections difficult for further afield eg Salisbury.
As services disappear from villages we need much better transport to enable us to get to the service (e.g doctors, 10. food that we need)
As services disappear from villages we need much better transport to enable us to get to the services (e.g doctors, 11. food that we need).
There are no buses from Steeple Ashton to Melksham. 12. Stop free buses so over 60s will shop in town.
Railway station under used due to lack of trains. 13. Preferred housing development by new school would be detrimental to the environment, given the development that in already taking place at Snarlton Lane.
I have used the train once to go to Gatwick as were at 6:00 in the morning. My son used to use it to go to college but the trains were very limiting, I go to London at least once a month and do not come home until late. I would 14. love the train to be more flexible. I could also use it to go to work in Chippenham, again I work late some nights so to catch the train which is opposite the college where I work would be helpfull.
Please could we have a weight limit on King Street? There are old houses right on the pavement that are cracking and falling apart.
15. There is a 30 limit but no re-enforcement signs. Please could we have a flashing sign that lights when people near the limit? Surely a cheap option. Please could we have some police sppeding traps now and gain (once in 10years - not enough!!) to deter speeders/ boy racers.
16. The transport in general is shocking
17. It would be good to have an understandable price structure for public transport.
18. The council need to wake up to the factthatthe motorist is not the enemy but the voter and tax payer.
19. Needs improvement...But I am not an expert in this?
20. Rail station is poorly located
21. would like an improved rail service to Bath, Bristol and Swindon, with adequate parking.
22. It would be great to have a useable train connection for Melksham.
23. Melksham railway station very underused. Thought could be given to try to improve this.
24. Great bus service, lovely drivers. 25. the rail service must be improved for regular frequent service if it is to be useable for leisure and work.
26. Council rail improvements do not tie up with rail company.
27. See comments above regarding Eastern bypass.
Have a better timetable, 2 buses running more or less the same time - half hour difference would make a difference. One thing I find as a cyclist is the number of people that ride on the pavements in the town centre! The 28. Iceland car park is free for one hour, hence the congestion of traffic, would make more sense to have King St and Library car parks free.
29. Better train services would help Melksham be a good place to live.
30. The roads within the town are becoming dangerous. Speed and carelessness are the main causes
31. Cycle tracks or lane would help me personally from W.Ashton to Melksham
Too much traffic through Melksham Town Centre, stop cut through down Spa Road force traffic around perfectly good bypass.
Method: One way through Spa Road or road narrowing, pedestrianise High Street. 32.
Reduce traffic speed of Melksham yobs.
Method: Speed bumps on the rat runs by Spa Road, speed cameras, chichanes, speed bumps.
33. Just been to Tenerife for a holiday - buses there are frequent and full. Can we learn something?
34. If the small villages are to be left with no increase in support they will die.
35. N/A
36. speed on buses travelling through village routes
In my view there should be footpaths along the entire routes between villages, and especially from villages to 37. farmshops. (e.g. Atworth has a 'bus stop and a farm shop so placed that one must walk on the road to get top them.)
38. Only as above.
There are far too many empty / near empty buses wasting the counil taxpayers' money. Smaller buses may help increase economy and fuel efficiency. High subsidy low use routes should be replaced with alternatives such as 39. taxi vouchers or services reduced to meet the low demand. More financial support for community buses for those unable to drive may prove cost-effective.
I'm personally a big public transport user ... but I speak to a lot of people who are not; they have great trouble 40. finding out what is available and how to use the services. The important thing is to allow people to plan their end to end journeys and provide clear information on line and at the travel locations too.
41. would like to see weight limit through the town centre
42. Car tax should not exist, we should pay on our fuel that way high travellers get penalised for pulluting the planet
Q20. How would you like to see the environment enhanced?
I'd like to see the canal opened up. I'd like to see a real park in Melksham, somewhere to sit and relax. We currently have the King George V Playing Fields, but the only place with flowers and seating is the tiny square down by the Riverside 1. Club. My hope is that Cooper Avon pull out of Melksham, that the town then gets the kind of investment that Calne did when Harris's closed to improve the riverside area, and that Melksham House can become a real centre of the community and its gardens turned into a public park.
2. County providing higher quality maintenance to the A350
3. More and better park land, somewhere to actually go and enjoy.
4. Better home parking so streets don't get so restricted with street parking.
5. The area along the river bank is poor downstream from the weir and could be made to enhance Melksham
6. More footpaths
7. See answers to question 4. This is going to be a vital feature of future of Melksham yo attract visitors.
8. Better management of rights of way (E.g byways and footpaths)
10. Improve the riverside walk.
11. Regular cleaning up of litter.
12. Bigger park, more walking recreactional space.
13. Tidying up of open spaces.
14. more out of town shopping, local shops, open spaces, community centre
15. Better wildlife habitats.
What a meaningless question. 16. Define environment in relation to the question.
17. There is a absolute requirement for litter and other biological by-products to be removed from public areas.
A canal link would be nice and a restuarant or bistro over looking the river in Melksham would be nice instead of the 18. industrial estate workshops
Town centre improvements will bring benefits to make the market place a focus for the community. The street scene 19. could be improved by removing ugly signage and making the most of the historic buildings.
20. Deve;lopment of High Street and the addition of the Wilts Berks canal
21. Trying to avoid building on greenfield sites
22. put community service offenders to clean up graffiti and pick up trash and clean up the town
23. As well as can be for the future of the younger generation
24. Mature (young not whips) trees planted where land is not used or is difficult to maintain.
25. Melksham and the surrounding area looks very tired, and unkept.
a new,bigger sewage treatment will be required and should be well away from town and nowhere near river or canal to 26. prevent pollution.
Keep open spaces between estates as far as possible. Another park? 27. Signage, stiles etc for public footpaths have seen much improvement lately but are still in desperate need of considerable improvement. Advertising, publicising and encouraging the use of the existing paths is needed.
28. Retain open spaces and not over develope to satisfy strategic planning 29. More wildlife parks - understand that the area near Sainsbury's has been sold for development
Less litter. Maintain green corridors through and around new developements. Greater emphasis on stamping out anti 30. socil behaviour.
31. Encourage people to stop littering and fly-dumping.
32. Improved litter clearance
33. Some of the countryside is outstanding, it needs protecting
34. Better entertainment facilities
35. More green spaces
36. More sun in the summer, more snow in the winter
37. very much
38. More countryside walks, park benches.
39. better maintenance to the grassed areas beside our main roads as you enter our town
EMPTY SHOPS KEPT TIDY AND EXISITNG BUSINESS MAKE THEIR FRONTAGES ATTRACTIVE BY KEEPING 40. THEM IN GOOD REPAIR
41. Tidy up the towns
42. No comment
43. improved roadside recycling, i.e plastic/cardboard
44. Thoughtful architecture including face lift of 60,s 70,s public buildings
45. 20mph speed limits through villages, even on A roads. Force HGVs to stay on trunk roads and MWays.
46. More trees.
47. More tree planting and tendered and cared for verges, grassland and flower beds.
48. Get the heavy traffic out of the town centre. more cycle ways and foot paths.
Any new build should be multistorey to reduce footprint and reduce development on green field sites. They had it right 49. after the war with tower blocks.
50. More trees and a ban on any home widmills.
A greater variety of plants in the verges and roundabouts to encourage a diversity of bird (and other) wildlife and provide 51. an attractive bloom of colour from the spring through to autumn.
52. Improved cycle and walking paths
I'd like to see Melksham cleaned up. More public recycling bins in the town and streets out of town. provide bins that are 53. seperated into sections for cans/glass/other.
more trees planted all around the town that in 10 years time would make the town look greener. clear the verges more 54. often on the main roads
Give youngster (especially teenagers) areas for them to play (probably supervised) so that they leave other areas alone. 55. Then put up more flowers are the place, Melksham town looks absolutely glorious when the flowers are up and also when the xmas lights are up. Is there somewhere that could be illuminated in the park with hanging lights?
Q21. How could we make better use of the rivers and canals in the area?
A taxi service up and down the canals for shopping trips/nights out would be wonderful. What about a 1 restaurant on a barge that travels up and down the canal? keep the river banks clear of rubbish. Make more wild life areas around the river and canals to attract walks 2 and children Melksham's river frontage is an opportunity to improve the envionment, the attraction of the area, and the 3 the commerce of the town too. 4 Reopen the old canal... 5 Bring the canal through Melksham 6 integrate into the local transport system. Recycling and waste could be transported by water 7 Allow river/canal side amenities. Improve and expand footpath canal/riverside paths and The local canals need better access from the town and the waterfront through Melksham is currently a wasted opportunity - this is a vital resource running through the town which is just ignored - we should make it a feature and develop businesses around it. We also have an opportunity to use the Avon to generate 8 electricity which could be used to power the town shops as does Bradford-on-Avon! 9 Remind cyclists that the canal paths are for pedestrians too. 10 Boat rides, punts and canoeing 11 Encourage leisure use. 12 PROCEED WITH THE CURRENT PLANS tidy the up, bring back the local river authorities, this will not only clean up the environment but create local 13 employment. 14 Rivers for energy production. 15 More accessible 16 Use them to drain the water from the land instead of flooding it. 17 Reopen the Wilts and Berks canal 18 Holiday promotion. 19 More leisure activities / access 20 Provide convenient but small unobtrusive car parks adjacent for walkers. Restoration of the Wilts & Berks Canal to full navigable status, perhaps utilising the River Avon to bring it 21 through Melksham for the benefit of local businesses. Development of the waterside including the renovation of the Wilts and Berks Canal redirected through the town would greatly enhance that area if appropriate thought were given to the nature of that development. Moving the Melksham Gate weir to the west of the town, construction of the canal into the Avon and onwards onto the original route northwards would allow great improvement to the waterside area, especially if part at least of the Cooper Avon side could be acquide and redeveloped for the benefit of the community. Similary sympathetic redevelopment of Avon Side retail area could greatly improve the whole waterside 22 area. Canal paths should be able to accomodate cyclists and pedestrians. There are very limited places for either 23 canal user to pass the other 24 tea shops / bird watching areas 25 Recreation but not at government expense Feel strongly about the value of the proposed Wilts & Berks canal and its benefit to the area. We should safeguard the route as soon as possible, and encourage and assist with funding as much as possible to get 26 the project moving. the link from kennet&avon canal must be built soon. Included in the plan should be a large marina for 27 boating folk to use melksham to shop and travel out by public transport to local sites The K&A Canal is already an excellent facility. If there is enough demand develop facilities on the River 28 Avon and W&B Canal. There was talk of using the land opposite what will be the Asda site as a lake. 29 Rebuild the old Wilts and Berks canal through the centre of Melksham using the River Avon. Melksham riverside could have stalls and cafe's to attract Taurists to the beautiful walks there, also hire 30 boats to row up or down. Restoration of the Wilts and Berks canal is to be welcomed. Potential for increasing recreation but also for 31 movment of freight? 32 The banks of the river on the Avon site are really quite ugly. I wouldn't want to canoe past them. 33 would like Wilts and Berks canal developed with barges able to access it. 34 Increase tourism use and facilities Marina at Semington and possibly a work on the flood plain to produce a water park. Speed up the delivery 35 of Wilts Berks canal Better signage and access to the nature reserve behind Sainsbury's. Clean the signs by the river walk near 36 the riverside club. 37 A marked and better footpath/cyclepath along the river towards Chippenham/Lacol 38 Clean up the rubbish in and around the river and have a nice little eatting place where you can sit and over look the river (behind the industrial units) 39 Hydro-electric power. Cycle paths 40 Investigate joint ventures between local authority and organisations such as British waterways to promote tourism. 41 They serve no purpose and it is hard to see what purpose they could serve in modern society other than for tourist to use the canal . 42 Hydropower watersports facilities. 43 don't know 44 The river and Clackers Brook should be recognised in the plans as Green Corridors for Melksham. More information boards about the river and its wildlife. 45 More river based activities - canoe etc 46 improve the canal towpath and paths along river - and define better the footpath to Lacock. 47 Push through the improvement (E.g Berks and Wilts Canal) 48 Push through the improvements (E.g Berks and Wilts canal) 49 Could the river area be improved in appearance?
Is teh river walk going to extend soon to Lacock? 50 Ongoing with the Wilts and Berks canal development. Make the place cleaner, better education regarding litter etc. 51 The Canal, how soon will it be going through the arkward bits of road junctions towards Lacock? 52 Canal - yes - and improve areas around the canal, perhaps use flood plain area as a marina near town to encourage people to walk from boat into town mfor shopping/ eating/ Canal - side cafes, park/ lesiure. 53 Have clearer rivers for boating maybe, picnic areas. 54 Fully support canal development - improves quality of life and enjoyment of the environment. 55 There is too much litter. The canals and river represent not only a wonderful wildlife refuge but an outstanding recreational tourist resource. WWT's work should be further fostered locally. 56 Improvement to the river area through the town would greatly enhance the area. I use a mobility scooter and really appreciate the pathway from Murray Walk to the boathouse and into town. I meet many people on the way of all ages. The prospect of the Wilts and Berks canal is an excellent idea and would give new life and facilities. 57 River is untidy and under-used. Potential for huge benefit to the town. Opportunities for Wilts & Berks to attract visitors and employment and Melksham should seize every opportunity to benefit from its restoration 58 Good paths to and along the river 59 The Wilts and Berks canal definitely needs to be routed to include Melksham or the outskirts - it's too good an opportunity to miss. The river could be made to look a lot more beautiful - the weir could be re-sited and when Coopr Avon closes, the land along the river returned to public use. A massive shoppers' car park to serve the new shopping facilities on site, for example.
Q22. How would you like the open spaces to be different?
Kings Street Park has a large open area however, no one can use it. There is a football pitch on one side, a cricket pitch down the middle and some sort of flooding/drainage problem on the other side (fencing is around the are for most of the year). The children's play par is continually losing play things that the children 1 love and inferior items placed it it. Bird feeders and other things to attract wild life and make it interesting. Maybe install some sculptures to 2 look at. 3 Stop building on them! Provide better waste bins and dog bins. 4 Open spaces are fine...we need to keep as many as possible and not overdevelop the town area. 5 more tree planting and shrubs to encourage bio diversity 6 More amenities and facilities for events. less litter 7 Better cared for, more planting, areas set aside for games i.e. football goals, excercise trails etc. 8 More trees 9 Preserved and not built on. 10 leave them alone nature does a good job 11 More done to discourage dog owners from allowing pets to foul playing fields and open spaces. 12 More of them. 13 Footpaths better maintained and restrictions on the dreaded 4x4s on some bridleways 14 Stop building hoses on them. Less rubbish blowing around. Planting of trees and shrubs in some corner areas and picnic benches and 15 seats at some locations. 16 More open spaces, with preference for new housing to use brownfield sites. 17 used for outdoor sports / picnic areas 18 Retain 19 Keep them as natural as possible, with no tarmac, buildings or furniture 20 Improved facilities and amenities. 21 They should be designed as an overall plan, not as piecemeal afterthoughts with each development 22 Maybe a mobile caravan park near the river to promote our waterways. It would be good if there was some large courtyard areas in the town. Look at the courtyards in front of town 23 halls in Rochdale and Manchester. They're very impressive and facilitate community activities. They need to be developed in conjunction with local people, we must in particular seek input from the under 24 18's and those with young families. 25 Better lighting across footpaths at night, provision for cycles 26 Family areas - parks, picnic areas. 27 Litter to be collected Re-introduce park wardens and manage them properly to provide a cleaner and safer environment for all. Provide more dedicated areas for dog walking and manage it to ensure levels of hygiene are maintained. 28 Ensure adequate lighting levels are maintained to discourage undesirables. 29 More community facilities 30 Dug out and flooded for watersports 31 no opinion 32 They are OK 33 Encourage recreational activities. 34 Encourage recreational activities. 35 better access 36 Open spaces should be exemplary places for eco-friendliness. See above - I'd like to see a proper public park, with flowers and trees and shrubs and seating and places 37 for children of all ages to play - and a bandstand
Q23. What might be done to help you reduce your carbon footprint?
Give me free seeds/plants to absorb carbon dioxide. I work in the town I live in, my daughter goes to school 1 in Melksham, I shop mainly in Melksham. 2 better cycle paths so I can cycle with my children to school Improve public transport. Provide better kerbside recycling for plastics and cardboard. Provide better public 3 waste bins. reopen Semington Rd for access to Semington for light traffic. Better and joined-up public transport so that I can reduce my car usage (we could cut from a 2 car family to 4 one car) 5 .....Better insulated housing. A big improvement in insulation at my place of work. 6 Why would i want to do that? nothing....we are where we are, get over it!
7 (although people wouldn't have to travel so far if there was a MIU back in Melksham)! 8 Better train service and more cycle paths. Grant for improved home insulation. Encourage free shuttle bus services into town from Bowerhill. Introduce local Solar farms to power housing estates especially now there is a Feed-In-Tariff avavilable from the enrgy suppliers so that businesses and communities can earn from the energy exported back to the national grid, which would help recoup the investment. An incentive to encorage installation of micro-turbines on dwellings within Melksham to help 9 everyone to reduce their carbon usage. 10 Increased train service. 11 Cycle lanes 12 improved pavements enabling more walking 13 Mind your own business. 14 Better public transport 15 Improved rural public transport 16 better rail service answers this question 17 Very little other than discover new ways of generating power. 18 More cycle routes 19 Solar panels 20 enable me to use public transport, but for me cycle tracts would help 21 Cycle to work, better home insulation, update boiler Kerbside collection of plastics at same time as the glass and pare.to save driving to recycling centres.
22 Collect the garden waste weekly during the summer and monthly during the winter. 23 Greater investment in public transport. 24 Use public transport where possible / walk 25 Don't have one 26 Give me a special grant to insulate my Grade 2 Listed building. 27 better public transport. I try to minimise the use of the car, have a modern gas boiler, well insulated house with energy efficient 28 lighting and buy local goods, locally whenever possible so I'm uncertain what more I could do. Better subsidies to update heating systems/solar heating/solar power. The payback time for some of these 29 is not worth investing in. 30 empty bins weekly, more recycling outlets we should switch off all electric appliances which we try to do but I admit we could be better we cannot use the car less as my husband has a disability as the result of an rta in2007 Our food recycling in our council is very poor compared to other areas in the UK e.g. we are only allowed to put garden waste in the green bin 31 NOT vegeatable peelings 32 Encourage local businesses and local housing 33 Improve public transport 34 Locally produced hyrdo energy via the wier, promoting grants to insulate your home. 35 Low cost solar panels, geothermal heating. 36 Home insulation - reduce energy bills 37 Better information on cyclepaths and walks in and around Melksham Identify areas of concern. For example, carry out energy surveys on older property including commercial premises. Advise on ways to improve and suggest methods of achieving a reasonable payback on 38 investment or improvement grants. Why would I want to? Co2 is plant food and at best Man made co2 is .002% of all c02 which is a minimal % of the atmosphere as a whole. Targeting Co2 is simply a tak on breathing. 39 Get over it and concentrate on the real issues. 40 Gas conversion to van. 41 don't know 42 Encourage electric cars 43 Better bus services 44 See comments on public transport. 45 See comments on public transport 46 Cyle Paths We don't have gas in Semington, so we have to burn oil, which produces more CO2 than gas. How about a 47 gas main? 48 collection of ALL waste to avoid trips to recycling centre 49 I DO NOT HAVE ANY INTENTION OF REDUCING MY CARBON FOOTPRINT...what a crazy question??? 50 Beter rail services would reduce use of car Reduction of carbon footprint can and should be achieved in many ways and MCFG would be pleased to set out its ideas more fully to the Council but some key steps include:
Local authorities acting as exemplars eg make geo thermal school heating, more paper free processes, further promotion of car sharing scheme Local authorities being robust on its requirements for developlers in terms of env issues and sustainability Information to householders on insulation and improved heating systems should be unsolicited - eg with council tax notifications Pilot project using heat registering equipment should be run in assoc with housing assocs. MCFG's free loan system for energy use monitors (from TIC) could be usefully highlighted in WC's literature. 51 More outlets for energy saving leaflets should be provided 52 Improve public transport and build some cycle paths
Q24. Is there anything else you would like to say?
Street lighting in Melksham is awful - if you go in the parks most of the light bulbs are 'dead'. I walk through the wooden park and Kings Street park nearly ever day and there is extremely bad lighting. Do we not recall the yong lady who was raped there a few years ago, wasn't that why lights were put in? My daughter and I were walking at 3.30 last Saturday and came across a 71 year old man who had fallen in 1 the park, people walked past him cause they couldn't actually see WHAT he was crumpled up on the floor. Need to encourage more people to cycle/walk to work. Where I work many people that live in Melksham 2 drive a car to work. There would be benefits to their health and the environment if the walked or cycled. 3 Oh yes but it would take too long. Wiltshire Council needs to focus on real issues that it can control, not changing the world. We need value for money and managment of Council services equal to that in the harsh realities of the private sector. no 4 more jobs for life and people only staying in post if they earn their keep. 5 No. I would welcome the opportunity to speak directly to the council about my comments if that ever became 6 possible. 7 What a stupid list of questions. 8 any new houses should incorporate solar panels and underground heat exchangers. Melksham Town could do with a lift !! Trowbridge / Chippenham have all been developed leaving 9 Melksham full of take aways, pubsl and betting shops 10 No large industry is not coming to town,we must encourage small to medium firms and build the tourist and leisure industry.we do not want a repeat of Harris at Calne,when coopers moves to a cheaper part of the 11 world or closes all together. 12 I think I have said it all 13 No Dont let Weatherspoons move into Woolworths you'd make the town centre a nasty place at the 14 weekends 15 Do we need so many new houses and what about getting more shops occupied. Melksham is dying on its feet - I moved from North West were councils had the foresight to invest in failing 16 towns, many of them prosper now The evidence supporting the theory that the Wilts and Berks canal will provide tourism and jobs in 17 Melksham is very poor and based on incorrect statistics. I would like to see the encouragment of Melkshams Market Town image as with Devizes and to 18 encourage the countryside into the town. 19 Standardise and improve recycling. 20 Standardise and improve recycling. 21 Are there any walks guides for the area? Several peopel have asked. Other towns/villages have area walks/leaflets. For amenity and energy generation do I understand that the river level is going to be raised along apposite 22 Coopers and include a Weir with a turbine? Property owners should be encouraged/pursuaded to smarten up their properties and empty properties 23 should be used for displays etc. I love Melksham. I love the friendliness of the people. I love the hidden architectural gems. For all its faults, this is a seriously great place to live. I am fed up though of Melksham being treated like a poor relation of Trowbridge, Chippenham, Calne and Westbury. We are so much better than we're made out to 24 be.
Q25. Do you make use of recreation facilities? If so which ones and where?
1 All in Melksham - swimming pool, gymnastics centre, library, parks 2 Swimming pool, parks 3 Blue Pool, Christie Miller 4 Walking in the surrounding countryside. 5 No 6 No 7 parks, public rights of way sports centres Not really as I don't think they offer value for money and considering they are supposed to be council 8 funded also are run with staff who have a bad attitude. 9 Christie miller. Swimming pool. Restuaurants and pubs. 10 Yes - Christie Miller SC 11 No. 12 Atworth recreation ground with grandchildren. 13 No 14 melksham blue pool 15 No 16 No 17 ONLY WHEN GRANDCHILDREN ARE STAYING 18 assembly hall, king george park 19 Sports club 20 Bowerhill recreation ground for lunchtime walks. More routes needed. 21 chippenham 22 Christie Millar 23 Christie Miller Sports Centre 24 no 25 no 26 Walking along the canal towpath. 27 No 28 No 29 Yes Christie Miller Sports Centre Christie Miller sports centre 30 Blue pool GOLF (Whitley and around the county) 31 Walking 32 Public footpaths 33 only walking and fishing 34 Yes - Blue Pool gym. 35 Yes. Blue pool 36 no as disabled 37 my husband uses the gym and the blue pool 38 My main recreation is walking 39 The Christie Miller has been good in the past, but I think it's going to collapse soon. The Blue Pool isn't very inspiring. The astro turf at George Ward is popular and an excellent facility. Yes. Open Tennis courts for Tennis (Avon) The rugby field 40 The playing court (back Conigre Close) 41 Yes Christie Miller Yes, Blue Pool, Christie Miller, Rugby Club, Football Clubs Cricket Clubs - All in Melksham. 42 Cinema - Have to go to Bristol or Swindon Gym - Christie Miller Pool - Blue Pool Cinema - Bath 43 Shopping - various 44 Melksham House 45 Melksham pool and gym 46 Blue pool in Melksham for swimming.. 47 Christie Miller in Bowerhill 48 My family use the Christy Miller sports center 49 We have used the blue pool and rugby club. 50 not aware of any except Christy Miller 51 Cristie Miller 52 Not yet, only been in town for 3 months. 53 Walking on footpaths and canal paths. 54 Yes, Blue Pool 55 yes 56 Yes, we use Christie Miller Sports Centre several times a week. Yes swimming pool 57 sports fiels in Bowerhill 58 swimming ocasionally 59 Aikido club, Seend 60 I use the King George V Playing Fields in Melksham for cricet in the Summer
Q26. Are there any issues that stop you making use of recreational facilities?
1 drunken/smoking teenagers in the new wooden park near the brook 2 no 3 Hard to follow footpaths to the west of the bypass and in some other areas. Waterlogging at times. 4 No 5 No 6 no I don't think they offer value for money and considering they are supposed to be council funded also 7 are run with staff who have a bad attitude. 8 Too many of a similar nature eg takeaways and betting shops. More variety. 9 No. 10 No. 11 No 12 cleanliness of blue pool 13 Not interested 14 Health! 15 no 16 swimming pools no aquafit in warm water 17 Reduced access 18 Not at present 19 no 20 They are not very good 21 No 22 No 23 No The cost of these taxpayer sponsered facilities is prohibitive and costs should be reduced for the 24 local council taxpayers, as, otherwise, little benefit is received for the exhorbitant rates charges 25 No but the changing rooms could be more inviting a 26 Not really On public footpaths: poor signage, overgrown stiles, ploughed fields across paths (or worse), 27 barbed wire, unco-operative landowners 28 No Poor changing facilities. Bradford and Melksham are prime examples. The continentals do it far 29 better, perhaps because they get EU funds to help. 30 no only my own laziness as mentioned we were in an rta and my husband has been left with a marked disability which stops 31 us going for the walks along the canal etc as we used to do 32 No Laziness is a key inhibitor. However, it would be nice to seem some of the facitilites given a lick of 33 paint. I'd rather they look shiny and clean than ramshackle. 34 Hard for public access at the courts - confusing. 35 No adequate cinema in the immediate locality 36 Information and price 37 Lack of parking 38 none 39 Christy Miller is dirty, dilapidated well over due replacement 40 We use facilities all; over England particularly in Devon Derbyshire and Dorset 41 no When I retire I would like to make more use of places like Christie Miller, but when that goes and the 42 facilities are at the new school I believe it will be open in evenings only 43 Disability stops me - blindness 44 Poor maintanence (E.g because vehicles have turned them into Quaomires) 45 too busy 46 no 47 No where to go for a walk without taking the car 48 buses in evening 49 I'd play tennis if the tennis courts in the King George V Playing Fields were useable
Q27. What other recreation facilities would you like to see in the Melksham Community Area?
some place where thrill seeking individual can do things i.e sphering, Go Ape, climbing, canoeing, 1 karting - even in a credit crunch people do these to help them forget their worries 2 cinema and better use of the riverside buildings 3 Cinema 4 Although not a great user, I would like to see a maintainaince of offerings 5 I have no ideas... 6 More and improved play areas for children and continued support for local sports, activities etc 7 none....you wasted money on a running track at Christie Miller that subsequently fell into disrepair 8 Cinema, theatre, more restuaruants. Cinema, 10-pin Bowling (larger than at Christie Miller), community fottball pitches/running track and 9 sports areas. 10 N/a 11 Childrens paly areas 12 None 13 MORE SEATS IN PLACES THAT ARE ATTRACTIVE 14 Melksham Forest needs a community hall 15 Cinema I know you are developing GW school in Melksham. I live near trowbridge and the two main schools there have worse facilities than I had at school 20+ years ago. The sports facilities are poor in this 16 area particularly, Chippenham is okay, but TB is terrible. 17 A decent cinema. 18 Happy with current provision 19 More designated cycle routes and more use of river / canal for water based activities Bowerhill Playing field has had an application for this to be an Open Space with County Council for 20 over 14 years. Why? The existing ones are good and, in my opinion, adequate, but they are reaching the end of their 21 existing life. 22 there is nothing for the young who don't do sport.Cinema,bowling alley spring to mind 23 None 24 More playing fields for competitive sports. Somewhere much larger for skate boarders and bikers, could be put in one of the larger waste 25 areas 26 Cinema? 27 Cinema, Theatre, restaurants I would support the moving of Christie Miller onto the new school site as building is past its sell by 28 date! Just an improvement of the facilities that are currently available. A lot of the infrastructure and the equipment has been neglected for quite some time and signs of aging facilities are abundant. New, 29 purpose built facilites based on a Hub centre with clubs shareing facilities and funding 30 Cinema 31 Bigger name shops for Mellksham/Trowbridge 32 I have children who use the skate park and would like to see an expansion of this facility. 33 Cinema, sporting facilities, 34 Melksham needs a new sports center and swimming pool. 35 Watersports 36 Outdoor gym in parks would be good. 37 Blind friendly. 38 A fishing lake would be wonderful, coupled with boating if possible
Q28. How might we encourage tourism in the area?
make Melksham more picturesque, promote Melksham as the Christmas capital of England - set up stalls etc - people come from miles around to see the xmas lights in Melksham, especially in Langdon Road, capitalise on this - outside skating rink, log cabins, santa etc. In the summer put some water fountain jets in the park and do a small charge of say 50p a child to pay for some one to upkeep the 1 area. 2 make the town have a theme and better shops Clean the place up! The entrances to Melksham are a disgrace - it does not make people want to come 3 into the town from the bypass. Make our town centre more attractive, deal with the river frontage, provide better transport to get people 4 in and out of town, and marketing and information to persuade them to do so. Imrove the town center to encourage many more small independant retailers. Start a regular market on Saturdays (when people do not work and can actually visit) rather than on a Tuesday.
5 We need a Farmers Market (on a saturday) 6 Improve the town centre by visual enhancement, street furniture etc and more free parking facilities. 7 better public transport 8 Less traffic, more chioce for shopping, market more effectively the attractions we already have. Improve the range of town centre shops and discourage the amount of takeways/fast food outlets, 9 encourage more frequent public transport links. The railway station service is a joke. 10 Park & Ride? 11 Better publicise history (Spa, Rope making, local culture) linking with local historial assoc to promote tourism
12 raising the profile, i.e. better funded of the tourist info By taking more positive measures to reduce litter.
13 By financially supporting the local tourist information centres. 14 Why would a tourist want to visit Melksham? Stop knocking the old buildings down and making town centres look just like any other town centre. 15 Supermarkets do not encourage tourists - they're the same everywhere. 16 CONTINUE WITH THE CANAL PROJECT Melksham is a poor relation to places like Bradford-on-avon and lacock, so we need to get the canal up and running then advertise our town as within walking distance to both the above, use Melkshams 17 hotels bed & breakfasts. 18 More advertising about local areas of interest 19 Promote canal networks 20 Improve town centres and encourage local heritage information Restoration of the Wilts & Berks Canal to full navigable status, extending the canal network and 21 providing a boost to tourism and employment. 22 Canal History Restoring the canal in my view encourage tourism, coupled with restiration of the town centre area in a sympathetic manner. Several buildings and locations in the town are of interest and the town could 23 provide a central focus of the whole area, Lacock, Bradford on Avon etc etc. 24 More publicity. 25 Better transport structure (trains) Decent up market shops rather than cheap shops Clean the town, refurbish shops, restrict large lorries using the High Street and surrounding roads. 26 Curtail out of town retail developments. 27 Canal access points needed, and car parking for tourists. Make much more of the conservation areas in terms of maintenance and enhancement eg Canon Square, Church Walk, the Riverside walk - these areas, at present, have shabby unpainted lamp standards and street signs (Canon Square), patched uneven and poor road surface (Church Walk), or are muddy, flooded and overgrown (Riverside walk). Just a little effort in places like this, achieved with minimal cost, would go a long way. 28 Give funding to Melksham Tourist Office. 29 rail links, motel, museum, canal link, marina. 30 Identify things people want to visit or be associated with. 31 Get the canal (W&B) up and running again. 32 as already said clean up the town for a start encourage businesses other than estate agents and charity shops. Perhaps the windows of empty commercial properties e.g woolworths the windows could be painted (simple art 33 work) to improve the appearance The restoration of the Canal will help. Melksham is ideally placed as a centre from which many attractions can be accessed eg. Stourhead, Lacock, Longleat etc.are there sufficient B@Bs reasonably 34 priced hotels 35 Get Jamie and Louise Redknapp to do a TV advert in King George's park. 36 Develop the river and the canal 37 Water park, Wilts Berks Canal + develop river front and High Street Better Hotels, better transport links, purpose of destination. Ie a reason tourists would want to come to 38 Melksham- (A good place to base a short stay and travel out to the Wiltshire area and Bath) 39 Better shopping By putting more information on the Melksham Town Council Website or making better use of the river.. 40 ie hire boats or cafe 41 Nige green park areas next to river, canal. Cycle and walk routes. Joint venture with other organisations such as British Waterways. Better retail facilities and clean the place up a bit.. The history is there and will attract people if they know about it. Although the smell from 42 one of the towns centraly located "biggest employer" will ensure their visit is memorable. Why would a tourist visit Melksham, Is has NOTHING to offer.
43 The town is dirty, parking expensive and unless you are looking for a Bank, Building Society, Estate agent, Junk food or Pound Shop you are going to be bitterly disappointed, especially on a Wednesday afternoon when all the shops close. 44 Develop the canal to the K and A. 45 give people something to come and visit, get rid of all the takeways, improve transport I think tourism could be encouraged by using the Towns history and involving things, such as the 46 History Centre in Chippenham to promote us. 47 Do we need to? Tourism information to visitors could be by way of a large marp of the town and surrounding area where 48 one used to be by side of Market Place near bus stop Town Hall side. 49 Better use of old Melksham Church Walk, Canon Square 50 Improve the canals 51 Bring the canal through melksham 52 better town centre facilities, pedestrianise area, marina, canal to Melksham 53 PR, advertising etc 54 Pedestriansie the Town Centre By getting property owners to keep their properties in good condition to help make the town a pleasant 55 place to be. 56 Tourism opportunities from Canal Development improves footfall in local shops and services. Improvement to the concrete buildings we have scattered around the town. We have some beautiful 57 buildings that are unable to be seen properly. 58 websites that celebrate the whole area with links to each little village and things to do Having some trains stop at Melksham station would be a great start. Someone also needs to do a lot more to encourage tourism to the area. We have a hell of a lot going for us here, and we really don't 59 make the most of it. To encourage people to stay in Melksham for leisure – Walking tours including interesting buildings & local history – effect for community unity Inexpensive – publicity and tour leader/guide No pollution, good for climate Health promotion Social meeting other people Expand on theme – mums and toddlers, 60+, teens etc 60 Possible café lunch etc
Q29. Is there anything else you would like to say?
Melksham Council Tax goes up year on year, yet our services go down!! Recycling in the parks, why do we not have bins were we can put cans, bottles both plastic and glass, paper - kids learn about recycling 1 in schools, help them to implement this in their parks. The amount of traffic in our town centre puts any one of from strolling through our town there by putting 5 tourists off 6 I recently tried to buy a decent book of pictures of the area - wasn't easy! see 27. If you want to get families into the area the schools in this part need rapid assistance. St Aug is 7 catholic and J'o'Gaunt and Claringdon are stuck in the 70s (facilities wise) Tourism in 2012 - Wiltshire is ideally situated for visitors who will not necessarily only stay in London, 8 more publicity for the Country Life (2 years ago!!) We have the largest density of fast food shops, pubs and clubs in Wiltshire. We do not require a 9 WETHERSPOON pub in the High Street 10 People don't look for whats on - there are lots of activities if you just look for them. 11 I am pleasantly surprised by the thoroughness of the plan Only that I feel the council are completely biased towards other towns and this town could prosper too - 12 can't build another 400 houses with no amenities 13 Paths should be maintained - walking should be encouraged. People to help me access the recreation, people trained e.g so I can go swimming.
14 Lack of privacy in changing rooms (disabled). 15 Christie Miller planned to be closed sometime, will it be replaced or updated? Use of site is not practical. 16 needs more publicity We are very unhappy to see Christie Miller disappear. It is an ideal centre (all be it old and probably expensive to maintain) and every effort should be made to retain it. The large sports hall is deal for 17 badminton, railway exhibitions, even model flying displays! 18 Need for a basic Motor Cross track! 19 Leisure centres should be exemplars of ecofriendliness 20 I've probably said enough now :) There is a shortage of recreation space in Melksham, particularly formal pitches, and whilst there are proposals to address this at the new school site at Woolmore Farm, this is concentrated at one out of town site. The shared single access with the school and pupil security issues have yet to be addressed. The community needs to be able to access open space and pitches at all times independently from the school with separate parking and changing facilities. It is not acceptable to downgrade the facilities currently available at the Christie Miller in a new leisure centre also at the school site. Moving the Blue Pool out of the town centre to this same site would fail all sustainability criteria. There is a requirement for easily accessed facilities in all areas of the town, particularly on the northern side, and the Multi Use Games Area should be retained at the George Ward school site together with the pitches at Dunch Lane 21 to serve the western side.
Q30. Are there adequate shopping facilities in your area?
Yes 31.9% 23 No 68.1% 49
Q31. What things can you not buy locally?
School uniform Health Products School shoes 1 books 2 chioce of shoes, we need something like Wilkinsons and the town center. 3 Shoes, small hardware shop (other than Leeks). Clothes / Shoes .. yet most things ARE available. With planned shop changes, things are scheudled to improve so that a shopping trip for groceries may become a trip within Melksham rather than out to Tesco 4 at Trowbridge. There is a lack (at present) of places to buy the things we used to get at Woolworth's A wide range of locally produce - I have to travel to the farmers Markets at Devizes or Bath.
5 Mens Clothes. Shoes. Not so much 'what things' but prices. There's also limited ranges of goods locally. Asda will help address 6 this. 7 All basics needs are catered for but few wants 8 Clothes 9 Men's & women's clothing. I said "No" in Q30 because I would welcome a quality supermarket to the area. I hope that Waitrose will 10 achive that objective. 11 Sports equiptment 12 no shop in village 13 Nothing Mens and teenagers clothing, shoes, clothing for the larger lady. 14 a choice of music cds 15 cheap furniture 16 Clothing 17 no post office in Bower HILL 18 No shops in walking distance 19 A reasonable range of clothing. Clothing, hardware, electricals etc, although some shops exist they have limited ranges and do not sell competitively in my view, consequently we travel to Bath, Swindon, Bristol or even Salisbury often by car 20 for such items. 21 Poor choice of local supermarkets 22 Electronic Items 23 No Post Office 24 Decent clothes / shoes etc 25 Few quality clothing and shoe shops. 26 Hardware - we need a DIY-type shop in the centre. Shoes. Men's clothing 27 shoes,hardware items 28 Clothes, shoes, furniture, new cars. 29 Hard ware, shoes, arts and crafts, 30 Good quality reasonably priced clothes 31 Fashionable clothes (unless you count Peacocks...), DVDs/CDs/games. 32 Need a hardware store 33 hardware shop, shoe shop. 34 Shoes, clothes 35 In general most things are available in Melksham, if not the Internet provides an alternative source 36 Limited choice on clothes, music, DIY, household. 37 Clothes 38 Nothin in village Designer label clothing, shoes. Variety of white goods or consumer products other than those in Leekes or 39 over priced smaller retailers. 40 Mensware 41 Bearings and transmission components. 42 Clothes, shoes, some food items 43 DIY tools and equipment 44 Shoes. 45 Shoes, big sizes clothes, stationary, electrical goods, I can't walk to Leekes. 46 Geberak household items, need to travel in order to buy reasonably priced items, i.e bedding curtains etc. 47 No decent shoe shops. Shoes, clothes, proper bread 48 General purpose store - eg Wilkinsons 49 what a stupid question - what CAN you buy? Decent clothes shops 50 DIY 51 Most things at least, not at the best prices as we have no decent superstores here yet You must be joking! 52 Shoes, clothes, men's clothing, books. You have to go "out of town" to Leekes for home bits. 53 Very limited shopping options for clothes in Melksham As an older person I find it practically impossible to buy clothes and shoes in Melksham and go to Bath or 54 Trowbridge by car. 55 Mens clothes and shoes, books 56 Everything except basic essentials in the village shop Shoes. Men's clothes. Books. CDs 57 Computers and supplies
Q32. What would you like to be able to buy locally?
School shoes & uniform 1 Better quality clothes 2 more of seletion of clothes 3 Shoes 4 Farmers Market produce!!! 5 The sort of economically priced goods Wilkinsons sell. Jewellery perhaps and wider range of gifts. 6 Books, music and film, mens clothing etc 7 Clothes 8 See above. 9 Sports equiptment 10 newspaper, groceries 11 Nothing 12 all the above, my grandson like many other teenagers go to Bath, Chippenham 13 We need a department store such as M & S, Debenhams 14 Clothing 15 Encourage a replacement for Woolworths such as Wilkinsons - a shop with a general range of products. 16 see above 17 Quality items 18 Hardware in particular - we suffer because of the loss of Woolworths. 19 see 31 Unfortunately Melksham lacks a population catchment that attracts major retailers. The opportunity to develop a shopping outlet centre was lost many years ago on the old GCE site and is now a rather 20 shameful A350 gateway to Melksham 21 as above 22 See above 23 The above. 24 just improve general range and choice of shops. Shoes, books. 25 As above 26 More choiced of products and prices. 27 Clothes - Not peacocks, Not Charity and not Margos.. try to attract some stores ie Next, New Look or M&S 28 Essential items 29 Shoes, clothing with a variety of goods from other well known outlets. 30 Mensware shops 31 Better choice of clothes. 32 Clothes, shoes, household things 33 DIY tools and equipment 34 Shoes 35 Shoes, big sizes clothes, stationary, electrical goods. 36 Good hardware shop like Roses in Devizes or Knees in Trowbridge. 37 a better choice is needed. yes we can get clothes at Peacocks but where else? 38 More choice in above and household goods 39 good quality goods at lowest prices 40 The above. 41 Clothes and shoes 42 Mens clothes and shoes, books
Q33. How far do you have to travel to get essentials?
Walking Distance 31.9% 22 Drive 1 to 2 miles 33.3% 23 Drove 2 to 5 miles 15.9% 11 More than 5 miles 18.8% 13
Q34. What would you improve about Melksham Town Centre?
I'd encourage shops to come to the centre of town not takeaways, make the centre of town a no go to cars. I'd make the centre of town i.e the car park behind iceland and the shops in the centre of town into a 1 shopping Mall. Cars on the ground floor and shops on the 2nd floor and possible the 3rd floor. 2 less hgv's going through, regenerate the avon place Clean it up! Avon Place is the main walkway into town fromt he car park. its a disgrace. The centre of it by the benches is used as an ashtray for the staff of the shops there - make it non-smoking, and provide better waste/recycling bins. no more fast food shops 3 no more gambling places 4 Switch car parking so that free is at King Street / Lowborne to reduce congestion. 5 A better range of shops and a Farmers Market! Free parking facilities and a brighter more attractive facade. Fewer empty shops windows (ongoing). Better paving (ongoing) Easier access and traffic flow which will likely deteriorate with the market square 6 redevelopment and a tiny roundabout. 7 nothing....stop fiddling and interfering. the local refurbishments were a waste of money Less heavy traffic, greater restirctions/encouragement on the different types of retailers, restaurants, pubs 8 etc. Smarten up lower end of High Street (from Market Place) 9 more retail. Melksham town centre is somewhat down-at-heel. Maybe we need to attract some quality shops, smarten 10 up the signage, and persuade town centre property owners to clean up the buildings. 11 Face lift High Street support independant traders, i.e. reduced rent 12 more vigilant regarding opening of betting shops! Provide a right turn into Church St from the north. Co-ordinate the pedestrian crossing at the junction of High St/ Lowbourne roundabout with the Church St 13 traffic lights. Make all three main carparks free for the first hour without penalising the town council. 14 I do not use Melksham town centre Don't know Melksham enough to say, but whenever I go there it just seems a poor town with not much to 15 offer. THE TRAFFIC SYSTEM. THERE ARE TOO MANY SETS OF TRAFFIC LIGHTS SITUATED IN THE 16 WRON PLACES. either pedestrianise from Lowbourn to Church Street, if not then reinstall the right into church street, there 17 by removing half the traffic from the market place, also install a keep clear box at lowbourn junction 18 never go there we go to Devizes 19 Smarten up - more flowers/plants; less dirt. Rejuvinate High Street, stop punitive rating system for shops, remove all double yellow lines, -better parking, -better access, -slower traffic, -fewer accidents Turn Melksham High Street/Market Place into Malborough not Trowbridge 20 Remove betting shops and cut price bars. 21 better quality of shops 22 Encourage independant shops 23 there is nothing in Melksham TC 24 Fill the empty shops, and encourage those that are currently looking tired to apply a coat of paint! 25 Smarten it a a bit wher possible - it looks run down The town centre could start to improve if the facades of the buildings were tidied up and repaired, the the types of shops in main areas should maybe be changed. Also the construction of Avon Place is out of character with the rest of the town and materials should be brought more into line. Melksham town centre looks tired, the older buildings need a make over, they do not need changing to any great degree and the 26 newer editions need to be perhaps demolished and rebuilt in a more sympathetic style. Increased pedestrianisation, more high quality CCTV, free short-stay parking in Lowbourne to relieve 27 pressure on the main carpark. Less money spent on beautifying the pavements and more spent on retaining local businesses / 28 encouraging new businesses to start 29 Redecorate! It needs a complete face lift to bring it into the 20th centurary - market place ok with old buildings but the 30 middle section around Iceland is dated 31 Clean it up 32 Revitalise town centre, good retail shop in Woolworths e.g Wilkinsons Divert the heavy goods traffic around an eastern bypass. Stop drivers (including disabled drivers) from parking in Church Street - it causes a log-jamb throughout the whole town. 33 Cobble Canon Square and Church Walk. prevent any more betting shops,estate agents and takeaway fast foods,it ruined the part of london we 34 recently left. The supermarkets and some small shops are excellent. However it lacks attractiveness that I don't think 35 can be easily restored. 36 The ghastly 1960s redevelopment. Bulldoze and rebuild in the old town style. 37 reduce rents for the first 2 years give them a chance to make a difference 38 I think I have already covered this 39 Try to bring in clothes shops, shoe shops, coffee shops Have a big pedestrianised courtyard area in front of the town hall. With benches and trees etc. And CCTV 40 to stop the local Visigoths from sacking the place. 41 Traffic congestion 42 Redevelop the 1970's built shopping arcades Wholeheartedly like the idea of a pavement cafe/ area in the centre of Melksham. Getting more people to 43 spend time in the centre, creating a focus area which would encourage dwell time within the centre 44 Parking 45 Shopping facilities 46 Shopping, encourage boutiques try to make it a nice little town Start again, Seriously the precinct area is an eyesore. Now standing with empty shops/building society etc.. Full of asbestos from the sixties eara and outdated. Pull it down and build a shopping mall in its 47 place. Same for the unigate site, turn this into a car park and relocate the buisnesses into the new mall. Improve variety of shops. Better street lighting and street furniture. Tidy up some of the run down 48 businesses. 49 The buildings look dirty and poorly maintained, the precinct is a disgrace, the variety of shops is poor 50 Take all the potholes out, fill the shops and flatten the pavements. 51 Get rid of takeaways, and cheap pund shops, put in better quality retail outlets 52 The look of the town centre, more free parkin, greater variety of shops 53 60's shopping centre needs to go. Could do with a retail park for larger shops. 54 Ease of flow of traffic. Tidy up by Iceland. Better shops, restaurants cafes with accessible menus - menu in other format e.g online so I could look 55 before. 56 Make it traffic free zone. Don't do away with the Market Square and parking - which is very useful to people only wanting a short stay. Not helpful to mums with buggies, shopping trollys etc. Do not move Taxi Rank, residence say this is the most appropriate site, only resite on Farmers Market 57 Day. 58 Landlords need to improve property 59 Smarten it up, make me proud of it Large department store would be nice but we are too near larger towns no doubt. 60 Tidy up frontages - up high as well - of all the nasty 70s fronts. pedestrianise. create an environment where it is worthwhile for shops to open. we need more spaces 61 where retail premises will prosper. A decent makeover including road resurfacing to make the centre more atractive and pedestrian precinct. 62 Difficult with the position and acces to the main car park 63 Clean the buildings and tidy the shop fronts 64 Centre free of A-boards Melksham Town would benefit WITHOUT THROUGH TRAFFIC. Consideration should be given to closing 65 the High St to traffic - this may regenerate Town Centre and encourage people to shop here. Encourage business, traders, industry. 66 Enforce litter problems - clear up litter more. The whole look of the place. It has become a dirty, untidy town because of our apparent yob culture! Surveillance cameras. Ban any more food outlets of any sort. The flower planting & planters always make the town look lovely and a "free'd" seating area in the Market Place could be wonderful but will the youth here allow us to keep it? The new pavements are already being chewing gummed! The high pavement still deserves its railings in keeping with the new lamp stands 67 already erected. Ideally make centre traffic free with easily accessible free car parks on the periphery. But accept this is a 68 pipe dream - it would be too radical/ expensive. But worth chipping away at. The 1960s section of board peeling street needs to be replaced by eco shops (Caspot Barn and Barclays) 69 because it drags down the whole town frontages. With regard to the widening of the pavements - a huge improvement. Is it possible to widen the pavement 70 around Gompels? I can see how difficult it would be. Reduce traffic and parking in Market Place. Ludicrous for traffic to be 'pulled' right through the Market 71 Place just to return to the main car park. Enhance the historic buildings and improve the shop frontages. The sign for Avon Shopping Centre could 72 be redone Rip down the white plastic/wooden shuttering above Peacocks from Barclays Bank up to Joy's estate agents and put something glass, or at least more modern, clean and architecturally pleasing up there instead. It's an eyesore and it's the main street of the town. Let's sort it out. 73 Then if there's any money left over let's have a canopy over The Precinct (like Corsham has) Stop parking on pavements, send security vans to back of banks like they used to Need a wider range of shops such as shoe shops More local shops at local price to keep people HERE not to travel to Trow/Chip/Gloucester/Bath etc Cinema/something going on/bowling etc near to centre Too many hairdressers and food Barclays bank says “no one cares” / lack of upkeep. All supermarkets are out of town
Q35. Is there anything else you would like to say?
People in Melksham are generally very friendly however, their town is dying and we need you to save it, 1 please don't let it be a commuter town only "'essential" in Q 33 is a subjective term. To some it is essential to buy the products that they find best quality at lowest price; to others the quality they require at whatever price; to others just best price. Any 3 option will likely involve some travelling. Melksham has a some good shops but does not cater for the likes of those mentioned above, therefore 4 driving shopers away especialy the young and these are the people with cash to spend. 5 Your spelling could be improved 6 Plenty of food, but what about things to wear? Rather than get another public house on old Woolworths site how about moving library there and museum 7 and tourist centre. 8 Some shopping facilities for residents beyond the Market Place, i.e a Tesco Express. 9 Reduce licencing hours to a time before midnight. 10 Too many supermarkets! All in the same side of town. Want services in town centre. 11 Make the town centre traffic free like Chippenham. I do all my Christams shopping in Melksham and have done for 6 years. My son visits from France and finds several things in Melksham shops that he can't get in Bath. 12 Eagerly awaiting Waitrose. 13 Too many supermarkets in melksham. too many takeaway units. Sort out the parking issues in the main car park (extend free parking). Stop on street parking at church 14 street. improve the flow. Shutting off the town centre main road at weekends so Pedistrians can walk about the town and shop 15 without being run over. 16 Small shop in Keevil (and a pub) would be great 17 The christmas lights are excellent well done the volunteers. 19 We have only got the shops the community can maintain financially. More free car parking to encourage people into town. Many old people in retirement homes cannot travel 20 to shops out of town. 21 I think the Avon Place centre is awful as with the block of shops containing Peacocks. 22 Business parks should be local to encourage new businesses The condition of the pavements is the worst I have ever experienced. I have known this town approx 30 years. Today the conditions are approx the same as I knew at the beginning of that time. The excuse "we haven’t got the money" is absolute rubbish. I was, after the war, a councillor, for Brentford and Chiswick, London. The Chiswick roundabout was the outcome of Council arguments and our publicity. Any further info could be offered. 23 J. Grieve. 94 years old It was a shame that in the Market Place the Aqualeisure front was not removed and not turned into a 24 better shop. it would have been a great improvement. 25 We would use shops in Melksham if it was easier/cheaper to park. Ban traffic from town centre. create a decent marketplace. bus station or equivalent. marketplace is a 26 decent sized area develop it in an attractive eye-catching way. Each area, Bowerhill, Shurnhold, Queensway, Berryfields, Forest etc should be almost self-contained areas. All having their own community centre, easy walks, bike paths, community park area, with shops near edges to allow easy access without non-residential traffic having to enter the residential area. Each community having good cycleways and walkways, roads, and buses connect to other communities and 27 transportation hubs. 29 We should consider having a core shopping policy. 30 Too many betting shops, takeaways. Dormitory Town MCFG values the existing retail sector and appreciated how esp the independent shops provide real 31 services and Melksham needs to be clear about whether it wants to ape Chippenham or offer something distinct. Is it realistic to want local people to find everything locally - if there were better rail links to Swindon etc the ecological costs of us not being self sufficient would be lower. Main (and currently only free) car park requires cars to travel through centre of town to get there.... and 32 through most congested street! Some of the shopkeepers in Melksham need training. They have no concept of serving the public, and seem to be there to please themselves. Going into the haberdashery in Church Street for instance is like entering a private club - they only serve you when they've finished chatting. Also, someone needs to have a word with the owner of Buds Bar. Their signs make it look like it's called "BUDO". Visitors would use the 33 place more if it was properly signed (or better still, renamed altogether)
Q36. Do you feel that the Melksham Community Area is a safe place to live?
All of the time 10.5% 8 Most of the time 73.7% 56 Some of the time 13.2% 10 Never 2.6% 2
Q37. What would make your community safer?
A crack down on all the drugs that are available. My son is away at uni in Bolton, he came home for 1 Christmas and said that drugs were more availabe here in Melksham than Bolton, that is scary!! Better lighting 2 ctv in town 3 Reduce traffic speed on all housing estates to 20mph A sensible approach to tackling unemployment on a national scale. A decent wage for a weeks work for 4 low paid. Less selling off national companies (i.e,. Cadburys) 5 More police officers. 6 increased use of neighbourhood watch schemes, and more police on foot patrol, (or any kind of patrol). 7 Some patrolling police presence in the town center. 8 A regular police presence on foot is very important. 9 Better policing extensive security cameras 10 more presence of community police in villages 11 Nothing 12 My community is safe but I don't have any experience of others in Melksham area. 13 MORE POLICE ON FOOT PATROL IN ALL AREAS 14 More police - ON THE BEAT 15 More police on the beat giving the community police team smaller areas to police, being seen is half the battle, the area they 16 cover doesnt allow this, to much area equals to little time. 17 more community policing 18 More police foot patrols More visible police presence, particularly during weekend evenings. Increased CCTV in the town centre. 19 More use of underage checks on sellers of alcohol All areas should have a local Policeman on foot patrol (not community support officer) who is seen 20 regularly and known 21 More police on the streets 22 Bobbies on the street. 23 More police visibility. Better traffic parking enforcement. Stop the pubs being open all night - allow Licensing Hours to be determined by the Area Board or County Council. 24 Severe clamp down on drunken rowdy youths in town centre on Thurs, Fri, Sat 25 facilities for the youth of town,other than hanging around drinking cheap booze 26 More police on foot and ensuring their presents is recognised 27 Cut back on late night opening of pubs and clubs 28 decent cctv more police certain nights of the week 29 hooligans being punished appropriately to discourage bad behaviour 30 Improve policing in town at night. 31 More beat officers Traffic speed around the Snowberry Lane / Spa Rd is a bit of a problem, but now that the crossing are going in this should calm things down. Low level issues such as litter and all that goes with it diminish the respect that a community has for its 32 enviromnment, so a better provision in areas such as The Spa for litter etc 33 No crime. 34 Less alcohol and drug abuse 35 Street lighting - we have none where we live 36 CCTV, obviously but its costly. 37 Increase PCSO's and NPT's Find the killer of Adrian Cooksey, stop police cars ramming innocent cars and retired police chief 38 inspectors and harrasement of innocent public. 39 more policing 40 More controls in the centre late at night. 41 More walking policemen 42 Police (in the community) presence in the whole area. 43 more policing 44 Would it be possible to have more police on the beat? 45 don't know 46 Get rid of the undesirables 47 More police presence? 48 Railing saga is ridiculous - have personal/family experience of accidents - someone get a grip! 49 More active Neighbourhood Watch schemes 50 Lighting and cameras in the King George V Playing Fields
Q38. What community safety issues do you think need to be addressed?
1 The large drug problem that exists in Melksham 2 better areas for teenagers to hang out Primarily serious crime. However, ASB, town centre drinking, under-ge drinking present more frequent problems and can escalate to more serious crime. 3 I beleive that good street lighting is important to deter crime. 4 should be easier to deal with antisocial behaviour and problem fanilies 5 Cycling on pavements - even in the center of town - is a real menace. In freezing weather (e.g. in the recent snow & ice) many pavements and side roads in villages were ungritted. This must have led to an increase in falls & fractures, which is a false economy. Could not 6 the gritting lorries turn into side roads in villages? 7 Two thefts and one attempted theft within the last 12 months all resulting in property damage. 8 older people and bogus callers 9 Distance from Fire & Ambulance Stations It seems there's not enough for youngsters to keep themselves occupied with other than causing problems. Having said that a lot of youngsters do a lot of good and keep themselves occupied. 10 Perhaps there needs to be help to show children how to have fun without hurting anyone. 11 Vandalism Zero tolerance of crimes against people and their property. In my own experience I have the perception 12 "no one got hurt, claim on the insurance and forget it" 13 lack of CCTV's, to many bikes on pavements, no bells no lights, accidents waiting to happen 14 Alcohol related problems. Cut drinking hours. Since the introduction of long term road works on the A 361, more traffioc has been cutting through the 15 Bowerhill estate, and the western side of Halifax road has become a rat-run. 16 Lack of high quality town centre CCTV, availability of cheap alcohol from supermarkets. 17 Speeds on the A350 through town, make certain areas very dangerous for children to play & cycle 18 Litter / broken bottles 19 Drunken youths, as above. 20 more foot patrols by police and community support,especially in the evenings 21 Vehicle speed and driving standards 22 Speeding lorries. Generally lorries exceed the 40mph limit on standard A class roads. 23 more police 24 Town centre after 11.00 p.m! 25 As ABOVE 26 Alcohol and drug abuse Late night drinking, not too much of an issue in Melksham for now, but we would do well to learn by the mistakes of other towns. We are about to welcome a few more thousand inhabitants with the housing 27 program. 28 ASB I seriously can not remember the last time I saw a Police presence in Melksham. In the 80s and 90s it was always possible to find a Police car somewhere in Melksham an any evening and there were often officers on foot in the town during the day. Now that we have a divisional HQ in melksham it appears that we have no police officers to actually 29 Police our streets. 30 The police attitude to innocent people. 31 speeding at night on estates, drugs, binge drinking and trouble in town at weekends A lot of young people hang around the fast food shops late at night and could discourage people from 32 going out. 33 Children and discipline 35 Get rid of the undesirables 36 Full inter-town Pubwatch co-operation to make it a more powerful deterrent 37 We need to have some lighting put up in the King George V Playing Fields. And cameras.
Q39. Is there anything else you would like to say?
2 perhaps some register of local bona fide tradesmen since the introduction of PCSO's and the sight of them walking about things improved, but now all we see is them driving about in cars, they need to ditch the cars, use bikes, and go back to the old style of 3 policeing. 4 More police on the beat - by road to get to know people and their local areas. Shut down the worst of the pubs that everyone knows are the trouble spots (Bear, Grapes, Tavern) and 5 80% of the crime would go away. 6 how much more is there 7 Do we really need any more pubs? 8 Please police real criminals instead of motorists and innocent people. 10 Don't feel safe at night. 11 Where's my local police station? Seriously, there REALLY needs to be some lighting and cameras in the King George V Playing Fields. 12 Now.
Q40. Do you have ready access to good public services? If not, could accessibility be improved?
Yes 67.7% 42 No 32.3% 20 Comments 23
We do not have a job centre, no housing department, no A&E - all the things that people on low income need to give them a better quality of life. Who pays their transport fees to Trowbridge or is 1 this expected to come out of their money? I have ready access to public services e.g. Doctors Schools etc but I don't use many other public services. The loss of our MIU was a bad blow for all in Melksham. Good is once again subject to how one sees it. The road side verges are well maintained in my view 2 in my area anyway. 3 MELKSHAM MINOR INJURY UNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! melksham and trowbridge hospitals have very limited capabilities. need to travel to bath and or 4 chippenham. 5 Probably not as I live in the country by choice I have to travel for other than the basics. That is my choice so it is not really a problem. As previously 6 stated there is an imbalance in charges levied to supply the services 7 yes more buses at surgery times Train services form Melksham and Trowbridge are average. The busses from West Ashton do not 8 exisit We could readily use a County Council outstation in the town - perhaps located in the Town Hall. 9 Save a trip to Trowbridge. 10 Yes Local NHS patients are served by the Royal United Hospital are rather remote location for many. The chance of services being moved closer with the continuation of new (NHS/private) hospitals 11 similar to the one recently opened in Devizes. 12 Yes more small buses to travel round areas the others dont go. Getting to hospital, for anything but physiotherapy, can be tricky. Driving to Chippenham MIU with a swollen foot isn't ideal. Getting to Bath hospital is rather awkward too. And paying to park there is 13 disgraceful (and I'm not a Liberal!). 14 Melksham needs wider pavements for people who use walking sticks or wheelchairs It should be possible to ravel from Bowerhill to Chippenhan, Trowbridge without a trip into town 15 centre. 16 Could the industrial estates in the adjacent towns be on the bus route and at working times. 17 not sure what services yo mean Bus timetables not accessible on computer to screen reader. Paper timetable does not read in 18 reader. 19 Better public transport 20 See answer to question 17. If you mean council services, I use few of them apart from getting the bins collected infrequently. 21 Mostly only use NHS and services such as the police of course, occasionally. 22 Yes, by interchange near Macdonalds 23 Yes, vastly.
Q41. What do you think is missing?
1 all of the above 2 A local minor injuries unit / medical access 24 x 7 within the Melksham area 3 MIU 4 SEE ABOVE...... 5 nothing 6 Not much or I would move into Trowbridge 7 an integrated bus/train service 8 good train service 9 Leisure facilities / public transport (particularly trains) 10 County Council outstation, as above. 11 An MIU 12 See above 13 Common sense. 14 Local MIU. 15 Buses and better train services 16 Train Service Nothing comes to mind, other than the fact that the existing services must grow or expand in line with the population growth. Two unisex toilets in town may not be enough for future requirements...Library's, internet access, rest areas and DDA compliant facilities to cope with the 17 extra capacity. 18 Good buses to the industrial estates. 19 Local frequent transport direct to the key areas. 20 weekly garbage bin collections 21 Regular transport to/from station 22 Oh come on, surely I don't need to spell it out? MELKSHAM HOSPITAL. CASUALTY UNIT.
Q42. Is there anything else you would like to say?
1 Grrr. 2 Improved accessibility to retailing and public buildings and highways. 3 Signposts for cyclepaths to new school/Queensway etc (or markings on road) 4 I don't feel needs of Blind people are met. Disabled toilet not accessible. 5 Better buses for the school runs to help commuters. 6 And local hospital beds. 7 Forest area (Melksham) not gritted. 8 I can get to the bus stop and the station but why would I want to? 9 No 10 Melksham is mostly public services!
Q43. Do you feel there is adequate infrastructure (the above services) in your area?
Yes 35.3% 24 No 64.7% 44
Q44. What issues do you have with these services?
Many of the above issues I have addressed already Infrastructure as a concept should be rethought with environment as a main focus. Loss of minor injury unit at Melksham hospital which was very useful, compounded by reluctnace of GPs to respond out of hours leaves a large gap in health services. The library should have been allowed to extend into what was the old clinic to provide the museum which was suggested at one time. We have a really old town with history and no museum. Did we need a Chinese restaurant? I would not call most of the items listed infrastructure...more like services etc. Could do with a casualty unit in Melksham. GP services under pressure so that it is often very difficult to get access to a doctor in a reasonable time. This will get worse as the current housing development is implemented. Only the main post office now operating which due to its position causes extra traffic coming into the main parking area not evenly spread through community. need to provide service where people are - especially primary schools and doctors. needs improving Where's my local A&E. The answer is according to NHS is Bath. Thats at least an hour away. Need a fuller hospital - not cutting back on it. Education - more at Melksham College, Trowbridge Theatre does not have AD or cinema here. Nearest Post Office is in town. The minor injuries clinic has closed - I used them a few times and they were marvellous. only one post office, poor leisure facilities, no arts or culture Hospital A and E is closed we get better service from our vets. Tatty, outdated Not enough for current community and certainly not enough for proposed community size. We havent got anything in the way of Culture or Arts Lacking slightly in leisure & culture/arts service A previous answer addresses the Sports facilitise provision, and other facilities such as cinema etc The loss of Post office in Bowerhill, the closure of Hospital. None, providing any expansion program is carefully coordinated between service providers to minimise disruption. Consultation with community groups often helps this process.. (Hearts and minds approach) Culture and arts?! Melksham is like the last days of Rome! Limited hospital facilities and post offices are becoming endangered species. dentist post office not enough trains stop at melksham No MIU Lack of Recreation land for the population The range listed is wide. Some are adequate others sadly lacking. No large hospital.little cultural activity or leisure facilities. Should have retained community hospital - trip to Trowbridge or Chippenham hospitals when injured not satisfactory substitute, and public transport there poor. All doctors concentrated in one part of town. Sport very good. Culture poor - rarely get classical concerts or art events. Communications good (except public transport to major towns/cities). Power and water fine. Post offices very poor - there is only one in Melksham town. MELKSHAM folk have to travel to other towns to get emergency medical treatment. No well advertised professional / semi-professional events, with minimal advertising. Most activities left to Bath The downgrading of Melksham Hospital has led to reduced services and probably a greater burden on the ambulance service. Some powerlines could do with going underground!! Otherwise ok. TV signal is intermittent. Broadband speed is to low to allow iplayer use. Not many good live music venues attracting decent named bands. No good cinema. See previous comment on recreation and sport The town centre is lacking in any good size 'big name' shops. A Wilkinsons to replace Woolworths would be a good start. they are over 5 miles away except the primary school cant get doctors appointment easily CLOSURE OF THE LOCAl POST OFFICES AND HOSPITAL ARE BOTH RETROGRADE STEPS They either do not exist or they are distant insufficiant broadband facilities no post office I consider that broadband speeds in the rural areas around the Melksham exchange are very very poor. We all pay the same amount but those in towns are favoured by much higher speed. The council must pressurise BT to lay a fibre cable into all the suirrounding village to make broadband speeds more equable. no local post office, que for ever on pension day, no local hospital as we get older we are more prone to accidents, very little recreation in the Forest area of Melksham Not enough culture and art. Doctor surgeries seem a little over strectched. SHOULD BE A NEW PUBLIC TRANSPORT HUB AT MELKSHAM, COMBINED BUS AND RAIL STATION AND TRACK ACCESS FOR FREIGHT. (SHOULDN'T HAVE SOLD THE GEC SITE FOR HOUSES, SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RAIL FREIGHT TERMINAL None really No Cinema!!! Medical minor injuries unit missing. Unable to talk about the adequacy of water, power, etc for new housing but no problems at present. There is no A&E any longer! A&E missing in the town. The post office is always manic since the Post office in Bowerhill closed down, we need another one on the outskirts of town. There are not enough doctors surgeries or dentists in Melksham, I travel to Trowbridge for my dentist. Cultural and Arts - does Melksham have any of these expect the Art House Cafe?
Q45. What improvements would you like to see? however I would really like to see a concert and arts venue here someday more garbage collections, gritting side roads as well as main roads in icy conditions The running track made safe and brought back into use better facilities for sport and refreshment facilities More NHS, Dentist, all in one doctors, dentist and hospital Restore Devizes A&E. More doctors - it takes ages to see mine. More NHS dentists - I have to go to Trowbridge. We need a Post Office at Bowerhill and also a few more shops within walking distance for the elderly. more doctors, minor injury unit reopened More post offices opened and not closed when the snow falls. Already mentioned but Health centre, MIU, another school, local post office and local shops As above Both of aboce addresed Need improved culture and arts. ree open post office in Bowerhill more trains, smaller buses, for areas where local services dont go Provide an MIU See comments in earlier sections A&E for small accidents and walk in doctors. new hospital,cinema,museum,art gallery. Return of hospital facilities so that young mums and the elderly are less afraid of needing help and having to travel to Bath, Trowbridge or Chippenham. More frequent bus and train services. More dentists. Doctor's surgery in new housing development and in town centre or north of town. Minor InjuriesUnit at old community hospital site. Already Devizes are to have a Private Treatment Centre and a new Primary Care Centre. Trowbridge will doubtless follow. Nothing for Melksham - this is grossly unfair Re-open Cottage Hospital (? Melksham Hospital), Culture and Arts, where? Local multiplex cinema in Trowbridge, Chippenham or Melksham Local hospital! More activities in town. see previous answers ! local hospital and more doctors THE ABOVE REOPENED Local for local provision See Q44 above. None reinstate the local post office, even in a local shop, bring back casulty facilties, we need a community centre. another post office more facilities I always think of infrastructure as including roads. But on what is listed, no problem. A Cinema Bring back the A&E at the hospital. Different sports i.e fencing, free running, break dancing, dry ski slope, some fun water sports (we have a river)
Q46. Is there anything else you would like to say?
There is a strong local music scene and we need to do more to celebrate and support it Why not amalgamate he Town/Parish Council to have ONE Council for Melksham, providing ONE stronger voice with equality in the Community Change We use the Spa Clinic for health. There is really no alternative to car from Semington. I tried walking it once - 1 hour. What about school buses? I live in a flat in King St - there are no black bins so cannot sort bottles, paper, cardboard etc. Could we have bins in King St car park? Too many Take-Aways in town Not enough free space for children to use. Better use of the tax we all pay and less waste. communication, water, power, post offices need to be increased in line with the rate of development. and Hospital beds. A strict observance of the surrounding flood plain when planning developments Not a frequent user however we have allowed to many closures in Melksham, Hospital local post offices, Job centre, and many other businesses, soon the only thing left will be the undertakers and cemetary No
Q47. Have you seen the proposed strategic plan
Yes 63.5% 40 No 36.5% 23
Q48. What else would you like to see for the Melksham Community Area?
Trains. Just one or two. Occasionally. Quality shops and information on what area has to offer Little/ nothing about Melksham Without (Whitley) where we live. As we understand it the villages are to be left alone, this is fine by us. We especially oppose attempts to join villages with housing and develop flood plains. A general improvement in the town centre You're asking for our views This event should have been done years ago!! Please make sure Road naming and sites on maps are correct before going to press. Previous maps in Melksham Town book have been incorrectly named. Accessability to rural areas. All our greenbelt is getting eating away, and it made no sense closing a good organic dairy farm on the Devizes road for a school. Develop local facilities. The oil is going to run out in the next 50 years. Out of twon shops lik M&S Watersports. More facilities for kids/families to enjoy Town center padestrianised during the day at least. An increase in infrastructure before any more housing is constructed/approved. Wheelie bin collection, 3 options listed in Wiltshire Times, is there a 4th - able to elect to not have a bin and pay no extra tax? Nothing Greater investment, and less focus on the bigger neighbouring towns. I have no real interest in Melksham Community Area involvement with all the surrounding villages not purely to be melksham based Sculptures and replace old planters. a more vibrant plan for Melksham, stop being dictated to by Taxi firms and other motorist, bring back the market to the market place, make the area traffic freeand install a nice feature like a fountain and a band stand for the king gorge park All shops occupied, a cinema, free parking, the canal coming through Melksham and more thought given to improvig traffic flow 'through and to' town instead of the usual narrowing of roads and miniaturisation of the town square roundabout. We need to advertise the benifits of the town on a350 road to intice people into the town Use of the water facilities Melksham has for leisure and transport use. The running track better kept and facilities (I use it nearly daily).
Q49. What do you consider to be the best aspects of the Melksham Area?
The people. Seriously - this town is becoming very well known and respected for its friendliness. We should celebrate that. Friendliness of people Its location and facilities as a base for visiting The people Its potential! Quite, rural and close to country / canal. "Village" feel and community. None - I think it's awful, but am delighed to see Asda and Waitrose comng in Central for my business to Cornwall South Coast Derbyshire South Wales Kent and Cambridge. Close proximity to Bath and Devizes plus attractive surrounding scenary Industry, housing, safety. Diversity of the community, friendly community, proximity to K&ACanal, New School, Local Paper, A town with a river running through it in a cenral location. the Christmas decoraations in Melksham 2009 were the best ever - a delight to view! Access to countryside all around. Country locations and reasonably good links to other centres the friendly atmosphere,the farmshops and countryside a short drive away,the potential for improvement if proper action and encouragement is given(money,grants etc) There is a wide range of facilities in the area that many people do not know exist and that is under-utilised. Likewise, there are some beautiful parts of the area that are poorly exploited and badly maintained. A strong sense of community The countryside! The countryside is fantastic Town is not to big. Nice countryside around. Less stressful than living and commuting into/out off the larger towns and cities. Green spaces Melksham Park / River (if it was tided up) Sports fields Melksham market place Kennet and Avon canal do not know. we have historically belonged to Trowbridge Living in Keevil Nothing There are some very pleasant places in which to live but most are in the surrounding area rather than Melksham itself. Good range of small manufacturing Companies in Melksham & surrounding area. Good road access. It's location. King george park, Assembly Hall, a good news paper to express yourself, friendly people, good safe environments for children to play, and the River if only it could be cleaned up. Most importantly, we have a friendly and practical population with amazing voluntary groups like the Christmas Lights team, Homework Club etc. Melksham has many things to offer and with Asda and Waitrose and retaining Countrywide will, I sincerely hope, prosper as a key shopping centre. We do have to work to arrest, or at least stall, the Trowbridge / Chippenham infatuation of WC planners though. We have historic buildings and some good architecture, employment areas of good proportions with room for expansion at Bower Hill and Hampton Park Melksham also has good facilites for tyres, garages, schools etc and some very attractive houses. I mention garages as the Total won an award for customer service. Having an out of town department store is also a good aspect. I could go on forever on this...these are the reasons I chose to live here. But love it as I do in Melksham, I don't want to see the 'carbon emission mindset' try to imprison me here. It's a friendly and practical town with some lovely buildings, varied employment, and a great spirit. We should enhance and encourage those aspects Melksham has the ability to be a very nice place to live and work - it just needs a little help and TLC. the people are generally friendly and we have many small skilled businesses the people and large green areas