Town councillor Sue Evans has launched a campaign to make the town look better by tidying up unsightly areas that are affecting its appearance and reputation. Coun Evans, who was mayor last year, alerted her fellow councillors to the collection of refuse bins that practically block off the top of The Brittox on Thursdays – market day – when the town is at its busiest. She told the Gazette: “This woman came up to me and took me to the top of The Brittox and I could only agree with her. These bins are put out first thing on Thursday morning but are not collected until the afternoon. The smell is terrible and it looks awful.” Plastic barriers strapped to the bollards outside the Halifax, in Maryport Street, are also causing concern as they have been there such a long time.

Coun Evans said: “I was told they are there to stop people crossing the road where the cobblestones are damaged and people could trip up. But no-one can tell me how long the barriers are going to be there and when the road is likely to be fixed.” Dog fouling has become epidemic in the town and all pavements are dappled with the splodges of discarded chewing gum. Wiltshire councillors Richard Gamble, Jeff Ody and Nigel Carter have brought these matters to the attention of Wiltshire Council but so far no action has been taken. After representations from Coun Gamble about the barriers in Maryport Street, divisional highways manager Peter Hanson said: “I accept that the temporary pedestrian barrier in Maryport Street has been in place for a lengthy period of time, however, to undertake remedial works would require a difficult and costly road closure, particularly as we would still have to maintain access to and from the Tesco car park. “Whilst funding is not at present available for works to the raised crossing resurfacing, patching works are required in Maryport Street generally and it is my intention to incorporate all the works in one road closure when monies allow. “The temporary barriers are in place to prevent pedestrians from crossing over the defective ramped section and to use the designated crossing point between the tactile paving. “I have recently inspected the site and this section outside the Halifax, where pedestrians should always cross, is in a safe condition.” The town council has scheduled a discussion on the problem of the bins in The Brittox by its planning committee on Tuesday.