THE security fence bordering parts of the route to the new Aldi supermarket in West Swindon must be moved back from the road immediately.

If it is not, the potential for tragedy is enormous - and any tragedy which occurs will have been entirely avoidable.

Anybody walking to or from the supermarket must currently struggle along at the side of busy roadway, and at some points have no option but to step into the roadway because the fence intrudes.

As if this were not dangerous enough, there is no pathway at the side of the road, and pedestrians must slither among mud, fallen leaves and the remains of whatever grass borders the route. The fence itself is anchored with heavy stones, meaning whoever erected it apparently failed to realise that putting a potential tripping hazard on a slippery strip of land next to a busy carriageway might not be the most sensible idea.

Either that or they didn’t care, which is an even more horrifying thought.

It is all very well for a developer to talk about proper access being installed at some point in the future, but if a facility is open right now the public are entitled to demand safe access right now.

At the very least, this should mean ensuring pedestrian access is wide enough and not studded with tripping hazards, but there should also be some sort of safe temporary surface which is clearly visible in all lights. Even duckboards would be better than raw ground.

Should some unfortunate member of the public be struck by a vehicle, all individuals and organisations who failed to heed warnings should expect expensive litigation.