We hate plans for £30m new motorway service station – no one will use it and it’ll make traffic worse
LOCALS have slammed plans to open a new £30million motorway service station in their town.
Folk in Royal Wootton Bassett fumed that the plans will trigger a number of issues including increased congestion around the leafy Wiltshire town.
The scheme was proposed by Moto Hospitality, the UK’s largest motorway services operator and will sit near an M4 junction south of Swindon.
It is expected to create 150 jobs in the area and be open 24 hours a day every day, but the plans have already courted controversy.
“It’s a junction that is already super busy as it is and I can’t help but feel that a service station is just going to bring problems," local Chris Bailey .
“You have to think of the impact that it’s going to have on the existing community.
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“We’ve already got a water shortage problem in Bassett as it is, and they’re supposed to be building over 1,300 new houses and presumably this service station is going to be a very heavy water user so that is going to cause problems.”
Resident Debby Hughes-Morris said opening the new station will be futile as the town already has a couple of stations close by.
She said: ''It’s in between two services already and we don’t need it and we don’t need the traffic.
“We’ve had enough time with them building the roundabout and we really don’t need it. There is a benefit to the jobs but it isn’t a groundbreaking number of jobs.”
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Robert Humphries, a lorry driver who lives in Wootten Bassett, argued the money could be better spent elsewhere.
“Why on earth do we need three that close together, it just doesn't seem any point, there’s stretches of motorways with long distances between services, but that isn’t a long distance," he argued.
“It’s a waste of money and time, and I don’t think it’s better for the community.”
However, the move has been applauded by South Swindon MP Sir Robert Buckland.
He said: "This is news that I welcome, as I have been previously contacted by several local residents who have raised issues with HGVs around Blagrove and the area being used as a toilet.
"This is very unpleasant, and a new Motorway Rest Area would provide a much-needed stopping and toilet point - as well, of course, as new jobs to the town."
A spokesperson from Moto said: “Our plans have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the local community with the project bringing in a wave of new job opportunities, much needed EV infrastructure and addressing the lack of HGV parking spots, which we know is an ongoing concern to both drivers and local residents in the area.
“We’ve actively encouraged local stakeholders to engage with us throughout the consultation process. The response has been incredibly encouraging and has driven our design process.
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";We’re proud to have reflected their key priorities in our planning application, such as the use of solar panels as a source of sustainable energy, and a living green roof within our final plans.”
Wiltshire Council told The Sun they are unable to comment on a live application.
