Heywood House, Heywood, Westbury, , BA13 4NA Tel: 01373 824838 e-mail: [email protected]

Summary letter, (see list of recipients below) 11 May 2011

An Evaluation of the Traffic Accident Rate and Noise Level on the A350 between Westbury and Yarnbrook

DearMrxxxx

We have just completed a research project into the accidents and traffic noise along the 60 mph limit from Westbury to Yarnbrook. The results are quite alarming:

• 5.5 million vehicles speed by every year, dissecting the village of Heywood, and generating an unacceptable level of accidents, noise and pollution

• The road runs through the Ancient Woodlands at Clanger Wood, and within 250 metres of the road lie 75 dwellings, including 10 listed buildings

• Cars and HGVs thunder alongside two Sites of Special Scientific Interest where what was once the richest butterfly population in Wiltshire has seen numbers decline

• The Government is committed to hugely reducing traffic casualties, especially for vulnerable road users such as OAPs and children

• Casualties on this road over the last 5 years in fact have not reduced and serious injuries to children have increased dramatically

• The Government wants to encourage cyclists and equestrians, and improve the quality of life for local communities

• Cyclists and horse riders don't now use the road because of traffic speeds, volumes and accidents

• Despite Government directives, Wiltshire Council's review of speed limits on the A350 had just one section reduced and six sections increased

• Our 60 mph section of the A350 now has the highest accident rate throughout the entire 35 miles of road running through the county

• Our road fits the Government's 40 mph criteria, not 60 mph: it has a high number of accesses and obstacles, vulnerable users and special sites

• World Health Organisation (Europe) states that no one should be exposed to noise at night above 40 decibels, and over 55 decibels can cause heart attacks

• 50 decibels were recorded in winter at Heywood House, 250 metres from the road, and summer levels are 10 decibels higher. The many people living closer to the road are being exposed to noise at seriously dangerous levels

• Traffic noise is mainly caused by tyres on the road surface: noise is 10 times greater for traffic at 60 mph than traffic at 30 mph

• The Highways Agency insists on low noise surfacing. Our road is surfaced with outdated Hot Rolled Asphalt that significantly increases traffic noise levels.

The RECOMMENDATIONS are to:

1) Reduce the speed to 40mph

2) Resurface the road with modern material which has a similar life, cost, and skid resistance to HRA, but is significantly quieter, and

3) Reduce the volumes ofHGVs.

I attach a copy of our report. We would appreciate you giving this matter your full consideration and hope that our recommendations are ultimately accepted.

Yours sincerely

Sam West

Copies to: Andrew Murrison MP who sent a copy to Andrew Kerr, Chief Executive, Wiltshire Council Katie Lloyd, Natural David Raines, Heywood Parish Council Julie Swabey, Ward Councillor, Wiltshire Council David Jenkins, Chairman, Westbury Community Area Board, Wiltshire Council Richard Tonge, Cabinet Member for Highways & Transport, Wiltshire Council Richard Gamble, Cabinet Member for Local & Public Transport, Wiltshire Council Russell Brown, Conservation Officer, Wiltshire Council John Carter, Head of Environmental Protection, Wiltshire Council David Bullock, Head of Service, Traffic and Network Management, Wiltshire Council Allan Creedy, Head of Service, Sustainable Transport, Wiltshire Council David Thomas, Traffic Engineering Manager, Wiltshire Council Martin Cook Area Highways Engineer, Wiltshire Council Bill Parks, Head of Service, Local Highways and Street Scene, Wiltshire Council Peter Binley, Head of Service, Highways Asset Management, Wiltshire Council Pat Kinnersly, Secretary, White Horse Alliance Occupiers of dwellings, farms and businesses affected along this section of the A350

The White Horse Alliance Chair: Catherine Le Grice Mack MBE Secretary: Patrick Kinnersly. Tel. 01794 322505 Please reply to: Bramfield, Slab Lane, West WeI/ow, Romsey, Hants S051 6BY or by email to:[email protected]

Chris da Costa Heywood House Park Lane Heywood Westbury Wilts BA13 4NA 3 June 2011

Dear Mr da Costa Defending countryside, wildlife and local communities against Thank you for sending me a copy of your report on accidents and noise risks from the a Westbury Eastern Bypass. A350 between Westbury and Yarnbrook. We discussed this at a recent meeting of the Seeking a beller plan for White Horse AJliance and it was agreed that we should support your oampaign and transport and the environment commend your report to all interested parties. in West Wiltslllre & the region

I congratulate you and your daughter on a fust-class piece of work. You have shown that this section of the A3S0 is needlessly dangerous and needlessly noisy and that the remedies for both conditions are in the hands of the County Council as highway authority. It is worth noting that the A3S0 is not a Trunk Road and the Council bears responsibility for its management, maintenance and safety. Campaign to Protect Rural EnQIand We were particularly impressed by the evidence showing that the section of road National and regional member + through Heywood meets the criteria for a 40mph speed limit instead of the present 60 CPRE branches: Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset, and local groups: mph because of its accident record and the village setting through which it passes. The and North Dorset fact that a 40 or 30 mph limit was not introduced aner the Council's review of speed limits along the whole length of the A350 does indeed support your contention that the highway authority puts speed before the safety and wellbeing of communities. Campaign for L Better Transport ~\) The section covering noise was extremely useful , especially in demonstrating that traffic noise is more than just a nuisance to communities. The evidence on damage to health caused by 'normal' road noise was truly shocking. must confess that despite National member r + CBT SW Network studying noise hazards for the best part of 40 years I was shocked by the estimate quoted from the 2010 report in the House of Commons Library that levels of traffic noise lower than those experienced in Heywood are causing an epidemic of ill health, with 'over 245,000 people in the EU25 ... affected by cardiovascular disease that can be traced to traffic noise.'

You ha.ve also confirmed the fixed relationship between vehicle speeds and noise levels. It is worth reiterating that reducing traffic speed from 56 mph to 31 mph brings WOODLAND• a tenfold reduction in noise intensity. It wns also very helpful to learn that 'whisper TRUST asphalt' (porous road surfacing) outperforms traditional hot-rolled asphalt in all respects, 1I0t just noise generation, and now costs the same as hot-rolled asphalt. National member Clearly Wiltshire Council should use it for all resurfacing. 1 am glad that the data produced by our noise consultan t, Jim Goss, has been put to such good use. Friends of The White Horse Alliance represents thousands of people in communities along the O the Eartfl A3S0 corridor between the M4 and . I believe your repOlt will equip them to National member + argue for stricter speed limits and reduced levels of noise. I hope it will also persuade Friends of the Earth South West Wiltshire Council that its economic objective of increasing the speed and capacity of pj!lrlsh Councils this road can only increase the burden of injury and illness borne by local communities. Southwick WenA.hton Steeple Ashton With best wishes for :07C~~ A Westbury Bypass Alliance Patrick Kinnersly J! (I /\!/tA www . westbu ry-wllts-bypass. Infa Secretary A36/A35Q Corridor AlllinS' The White Horse Alliance www.corridor-ailiance.co.uk Whito liorso Alliance i8 a Company Limit d by Guarantee registered in England and Wales. Registered Number: 06524244. Registered office: 'ttle Lypiatt Farm, Rough Street, Neston, Wiltshire SN139TR