A NUMBER of static and rolling closures have begun to allow for some essential tree felling.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), together with its industry partner, Landmarc Support Services (Landmarc), is carrying out important safety tree-felling to remove trees infected with ash dieback.

As a result, the A342, Station Road in Tidworth and other roads between Pewsey and Everleigh will be closed at some stage.

Thousands of ash trees across Salisbury Plain Training Area, as well as many more across the country, are infected with a disease called ash dieback.

There is no cure or treatment for the disease and over time infected trees will weaken, causing branches to fall and trees to eventually collapse and die.

This presents a "significant health and safety risk", especially alongside roads, public rights of way and woodland areas used by the public for recreation activities and military personnel for training.

For the safety of road users it is therefore necessary to remove infected trees on MOD land bordering the A342 and other roads.

The temporary closures will take place from 7am until 6pm on weekdays only from March 14.

The work is expected to be completed by mid-April.

The closures will be rolling so only one section of the road will be closed at a time with work initially starting on the A342, then moving to the Marlborough Road between Pewsey and Everleigh, and finally to Station Road near Ashdown Copse at the end of March / early April.

Diversions will be in place and details of specific closures as they occur can be found here.

In all cases, work will be temporarily halted to allow buses and emergency vehicles to continue along these roads on their usual routes to avoid delays.

Lieutenant Colonel Tim Jalland, DIO’s Commander South West Training Estate, said: “While it is unfortunate that these trees must be felled, it is sadly necessary for the protection of everyone using the A342 and other local roads, whether military or civilian.

"We apologise for the disruption this will cause and ask for the patience of road users and local communities.”

Removal of infected trees will continue into 2022 with 250 sites being affected across the training area.