TRAFFIC management that could have helped tackle congestion around the Outlet Village looks set not to happen.

A proposed 'box junction' has been ruled out by a council safety audit.

The update was given to concerned Rodbourne residents by Jim Robbins, one of the three Labour councillors for Mannington and Western.

He said: “We were very annoyed to be told that the planned box junction to allow Barnum Court residents to get in and out of the road through queuing traffic on Kemble Drive has been stopped after a safety audit recommended that it was not safe due to visibility issues.

"We have asked for copies of the audit and will try to see if there is an alternative way of dealing with the issue and making it easier for people to get in to Barnum Court.”

Coun Robbins told the Adver it was a problem for both people trying to get out, and getting into the street at busy times.

"The traffic is often backed up in both directions across the junction, and people can’t get out or in.”

He said officers said the safety audit had suggested that a junction would not be visible in sufficient time to motorists heading north on Kemble Drive away from the outlet village.

He added: “I can see that the visibility that way isn’t great, but the traffic will have just been slow to get around the roundabout.

"We are talking about it being needed when traffic is heavy and therefore slow moving, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

“In the other direction the visibility is fine.

“We’d like to see the safety audit to see if anything else can be done.”

Holly Windslow lives in Barnum Court and said she would like to see a junction to aid getting into the street.

She said: “It’s not so bad getting out. I tend to drive out a bit and stop and they let you out in the end.

“It’s bad when I come home from work, though” the 34-year-old care worker added.

“I come from the Great Western Way direction and I have to turn right, and they look at me like I’m trying to push in the queue, and I’m not, I’m just trying to get into my street.

“They never let you in, they just look at you, so I’d like a junction."

A spokesman for Swindon Borough Council said it would release the safety audit to elected councillors before letting the public see it.