A BUSY road in one Wiltshire village that has been causing concern to residents for a number of years will now be safer to cross thanks to the installation of a Puffin crossing.

The community in Corston, near Malmesbury have noticed a considerable increase in the number of vehicles using the A429 that runs through the village.

And the St Paul Without Parish Council has received complaints from residents of Corston about the dangers of crossing this road.

Of particular concern to families was the need for children of all ages to cross this road to board/alight from school buses, especially during the winter months when there are reduced daylight hours.

The Parish Council worked with Wiltshire Highways to design a suitable crossing and to secure the funds to pay for its installation from a combination of sources. This included a £40,000 contribution required as part of planning permission for a small housing development under construction in Corston and a successful bid of £30,000 from Wiltshire Highway funds.

Installation began a few weeks before Christmas and the crossing was commissioned on January 14.

Councillor Roger Budgen, chairman of the St Paul Without Parish Council, said: “The Parish Council is delighted to have finally achieved the installation of this long-awaited safety feature in the village.

“The steady yearly increase in all types of vehicles on the A429 has made both adults and children very wary about crossing this road at certain times of day, this crossing will now make life much safer.”

Corston now joins other communities including Crudwell, Kemble and Burton Hill in having a safe means for pedestrians to cross the increasingly busy A429.