OPINIONS are divided over a campaign to re-name part of Lyneham’s repatriation route the Highway of Heroes.

An online petition set up by former paratrooper George Ryan has been created on the Downing Street website.

The petition is calling for the renaming of the B3102 between RAF Lyneham and Wootton Bassett.

But Royal British Legion secretary Anne Bevis said that Wootton Bassett residents seemed largely against the idea.

“A lot of people I have spoken to aren’t really in favour of it,” she said.

“We don’t want to create a circus around something which is very dignified and respectful.

“I think that by renaming the route we’re actually taking the focus away from the reason we do what we do.”

Anne, of Byron Avenue, also says that if the name change were to be given the green light, it should be implemented right along the route including Wootton Bassett High Street, the M4 between junction 16 and 15 and through Oxfordshire.

“I don’t think you can only rename part of it, it’s the whole route,” she said. “The tributes are not just paid in Bassett, now it’s all the way along the route.”

Anne, who set up a telephone network in the town to inform residents when repatriations are taking place, says that the best memorial to the fallen troops is the respect and compassion each mourner demonstrates.

“The idea behind the name change is very admirable and made with the best of intentions but it’s not really a very British thing to do.

“George Ryan has admitted that he’s never been to Wootton Bassett and I think if he had, he’d see that it’s not necessary.”

The idea is not a British invention.

Instead it is copying a name already adopted for a route in Canada.

The Ontario Government erected signs along a 170km stretch of highway in September 2007 as it is the route taken to transport the bodies of fallen soldiers to the coroner's office once they return to Canada.

Anne said: “The name isn’t very fitting for an English market town. We’d like to keep things personal. We don’t want praise, we don’t do it for show.

“We just want to pay our respects.”

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