Wiltshire Council has apologised to residents and businesses after work on Mortimer Street in Trowbridge was delayed, meaning the road cannot reopen as planned on 2 October.

The closure is part of the wider Longfield Gyratory improvement scheme to increase capacity on the gyratory to improve journey times for motorists and make it easier to access the new leisure centre. It has been in place to allow underground utility diversions, carriageway widening and the installation of new traffic signals.

While substantial work has already been completed, delays to essential underground utility diversion work mean Mortimer Street cannot yet reopen to traffic.

The council is working closely with its contractor and the utility companies involved to complete the remaining work as quickly as possible and reduce the impact on residents, businesses and road users. As a result, the full closure of Mortimer Street has been extended until 6 November.

However, the council and its contractor are aiming to reopen the road to one-way traffic before that date if it is safe and practical to do so. This would allow vehicles to access Mortimer Street from the Longfield Gyratory while the final stages of work are completed.

David Bullock, Director of Assets, Highways and Transport, said: “We know these works have taken longer than anyone would have liked, and I would like to apologise for the continued disruption. We understand the frustration and inconvenience this has caused residents, businesses and everyone who travels through the area.

“The latest delay is linked to the completion of essential utility diversion work, and we are working closely with all parties involved to finish the scheme as quickly as possible and reopen the road at the earliest opportunity.

“We appreciate the patience people have shown throughout this project and will continue to provide updates as the work progresses.”