Council to install enforcement cameras at Semington bus gate

The decision comes following a request from Semington Parish Council and in consultation with Melksham Without Parish Council, which is also supportive of the decision to use an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera.

The request was made by the Melksham area Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group (LHFIG), which is financing the camera installation in partnership with Semington Parish Council. LHFIGs are sub-groups of the 18 Community Area Boards that meet four times a year to discuss local highways issues and allocate funds to improve roads and footways in the area. Ongoing maintenance of the camera will be jointly funded by Wiltshire Council, Semington Parish Council and Melksham Without Parish Council.

The bus gate was installed in 2004 following the construction of the A350 Semington bypass, and is designed to prevent through traffic using the old route through Semington village, while maintaining a through route for buses. During a recent traffic count, there were an average of 171 vehicle movements per day recorded travelling through the bus gate, which far exceeds the daily number of buses that pass along the route.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: Following reports of drivers ignoring the bus gate in Semington, the Local Highway and Footway Improvement Group has requested that we install a camera to improve the safety of this road and stop rat-running through the village.

This request has been backed by both Semington and Melksham Without parish councils, to tackle a longstanding concern and to deter motorists from unlawfully using the bus gate.

We know that some people will claim that this is a money-making exercise, but we want drivers to abide by the traffic restriction, and if they do so there will be no fines and the road will be safer for the local community.

We are committed to improving road safety here in Wiltshire, as underlined in our Business Plan, and that's why we're taking this action, to prevent some drivers from putting other road users at risks.

Peter Smith, Chair of Semington Parish Council, said: Since 2015, when community volunteers worked with Melksham Police to report on unlawful use of the bus gate, Semington Parish Council has wanted better and round the clock enforcement to prevent offending traffic rat-running the village.

We're very pleased that, with the support and cooperation of the Melksham Area Board, Wiltshire Council, Melksham Without Council, and Cllr Jonathon Seed, the camera is now to be installed. We have no interest in making money from this. We just want traffic that shouldn't use the bus gate to respect the No Entry signs.

Cllr John Glover, Chair of Melksham Without Parish Council, said: For many years drivers have ignored the bus gate in the parish and used it to access Semington and to avoid heavy traffic on the A350. This causes safety concerns for the many residents that use what should be a quiet stretch of road with very little traffic to access the Kennet & Avon Canal and to Semington and beyond.

This is part of the National Cycle Network and Active Travel route between Melksham and Hilperton and should be a tranquil walk or bike ride along the historic route of the Wilts & Berks Canal. 

Melksham Without Parish Council are pleased to find a solution to this longstanding issue, working with Semington Parish Council and Wiltshire Council. We hope this will also reduce the amount of speeding traffic on Semington Road looking for a quick alternative route to the A350.

The camera is expected to be installed in June and will become operational shortly afterwards. The Penalty Charge Notice for any unauthorised vehicle ignoring the bus gate will be £70, reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. Any surplus income is used to fund the council's parking services.