High-voltage cable find delays major road project

A major road project has been delayed after it was discovered a high-voltage cable needs to be moved.

Wiltshire Council says the current closure of County Way as part of the Longfield Gyratory project in Trowbridge will remain in place until at least 17 April.

It comes after an underground high-voltage electricity cable was found "not at a suitable depth" for the project to continue safely.

Martin Smith, cabinet member for highways at Wiltshire Council, said extra work was "essential to ensure the safety of both the workforce and the public".

While the cable is moved, there will be a delay to the completion of the current phase of the wider gyratory works.

As part of the works, traffic lights will be modernised and the carriageway widened at certain points to help drivers of larger vehicles.

A SSEN spokesperson said the underground cables, which supply power to the local area, "have previously been located under the pedestrian footpath and at the correct levels for safety and access".

The spokesperson added: "Wiltshire Council's plans to alter the road structure means this footpath becomes part of the extended carriageway; as cabling under roads needs to be located at a lower level for safety and to accommodate other utilities, SSEN has been asked by the council to relocate its power cable."

The project was already delayed by the discovery of unrecorded infrastructure, including water mains and fibre-optic cables, in January.

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