THE Ministry of Defence has been accused of lacking consideration for the public over the closure of the road from Porton to Winterslow.

Wiltshire councillor Bill Moss said that three weeks after the closure of the road, which will not reopen for six months, there is no sign of repair work taking place.

“People are now asking why it was necessary to close the road before the contractors were ready to commence the work,” he said.

“The diversion from Winterslow via Ford and the Winterbournes is approximately four miles, causing many people great inconvenience.”

A spokesman from Defence Science Technology Laboratories (DSTL) said work had been going on, although it might not be visible from either end of the road.

After more than a fortnight of underground surveys, topographical work had started this week.

“Obviously we wouldn’t close the road and inconvenience people if we didn’t have to,” she added. “We are trying to minimise the inconvenience.”

But cllr Moss, who regularly uses the road to travel from Winterslow to Trowbridge for his council work, was not satisfied. He said: “There are huge numbers of people who normally use the road. Particularly from 7.30am to 9am, the cars are a continuous stream. It is of course the same in the evening.

“I think the MoD have been very inefficient and inconsiderate to the general public in not carrying out the topographical survey, etc at weekends and during the night, as happens with other roadworks.”