HONDA is close to setting a date for the start of its big move to Wroughton.

Transporters will make the seven-mile journey from the South Marston production plant to the former RAF airfield in Wroughton, starting any time between now and March according to Honda officials.

But the manufacturer said that the site was only a short term solution and that Wroughton would be put back to how they found it within a year.

Complaints of the impact on the village were overruled because of the extraordinary economic situation and the need to support Honda workers.

However, some villagers still feared the airfield would become a scrap yard in their back garden and that transporters could cause traffic disruption.

Paul Ormond, general manager of corporate press at Honda UK, said every effort had been made to limit disruption, agreeing a limit on numbers of vehicles and their route.

“Our drivers have been briefed as to the sensitive nature of the route and the site,” he said.

“I think it’s important to know that Wroughton is an area of scientific interest and all the vehicles will be parked on tarmac, not on the grass, so we fully intend to leave Wroughton exactly as we found it with not a blade of grass out of place.”

Councillors for Wroughton and Chiseldon, who live in the village, were supportive of Honda’s plans and do not think it will seriously affect residents.

Brian Ford (Con, Wroughton and Chiseldon), said: “I was in favour of it because the economy of Swindon is more important than a few people worried about a bit of noise.”

In his role, Coun Ford was able to do the proposed journey – which runs from Stratton and up the A4361 to the airfield – on one of the transporters to make sure the route was suitable and he was satisfied.

Fellow councillor William Morton (Con, Wroughton and Chiseldon), said: “I was very happy with the way it has been organised.”

The Japanese car giant will be using two transporters to take eight to 10 cars a day having been given permission from Swindon Council to store nearly 7,000 cars at the site.

Mr Ormond said: “In terms of the manufacturing plant we don’t have vast areas of parking; we don’t store cars on site so therefore when we had this economic downturn with poor sales in the UK and Europe, that caused us a problem.”

Honda must abide by certain restrictions set down by Swindon council which include not passing through in school rush hours, from 8.30-9am, 2.45pm-3.30pm and 4.30pm-5.30pm, and having no more than four lorries transporting vehicles every hour.

Honda is also not allowed to hold cars on the premises for one day over the 12-month limit.