'Dangerous' road damage in award-winning village

Residents of an award-winning village say the council needs to take responsibility for extensive damage to a main road.

Campaigners say the erosion to High Road, which runs through Ashton Keynes in Wiltshire, exceeds 70m (230ft) in one particular stretch.

Resident Cath McMurtry said: "It has become so dangerous…the verges have completely crumbled away."

The damage is said to have been caused by a former traffic diversion for Thames Water works. Wiltshire Council said it was "considering the available options" after the company said it would not contribute to repairs. Thames Water declined to comment.

Ashton Keynes was crowned the winner of the best-kept large village competition in 2024 by the charity Campaign to Protect Rural England Wiltshire.

But residents are not satisfied with the lack of progress on its main road since the water works diversion ended months ago.

McMurtry, who is concerned for the safety of pedestrians and drivers, said the damaged road is adjacent to fields that are prone to flooding from the Thames.

"A car that falls off onto this crumbled piece of road here, on the verge that is so damaged, could easily end up in the water," she said.

"We've got no street lamps, no pavements, and the edges of the road are literally just muddy verges now and crumbling tar."

She said the uneven surface was also inflicting damage to vehicles, with one driver reporting a punctured tyre.

The MP for South Cotswolds, Dr Roz Savage, said: "I'm keen to support the council in securing a clear and deliverable repair programme, appropriate interim safety measures and, most importantly, a proper resolution for residents."

Frustrated villagers told BBC Radio Wiltshire a small section of High Road was repaired last year after previous calls for the council to respond but there has been no progress since.

Martin Smith, of Wiltshire Council, said: "We have been in discussion with Thames Water and they had initially agreed to contribute to the repairs required due to the deterioration of the diversion route used to facilitate their works.

"However, they have since changed their position on this.

"We are now considering the available options to us to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion and will update residents as soon as we can."

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