Salisbury Road Works
To the Editor
I write to you with simultaneous outrage and relief regarding the current road works on the main route in and out of Salisbury. It is, of course, an honour to witness the tireless work of the Council’s contractors, who have successfully turned our beloved artery into a scene reminiscent of the Stone Age, with the added benefit of contemporary road cones.
I cannot thank the authorities enough for transforming my ten-minute commute into an hour-long scenic tour of my patience. There is nothing quite as reassuring as seeing multiple workers actively holding clipboards and occasionally waving to passersby. The delays, I must say, are both intolerable and strangely calming — a unique mix of infuriation and, dare I say, mindfulness, as I sit idle in my car, contemplating life’s meaning and perhaps the futility of Council projects.
One can only assume the works are urgent, although they’ve been going on for what feels like half a decade, with progress so rapid, some might say it’s moving backward. What joy it brings to see the same stretch of road dug up, filled in, and then dug up again, proving, if nothing else, that the work itself is eternal, unlike the tarmac.
Yet, without this noble endeavour, would we ever truly appreciate the open road? Perhaps it is this very delay that brings us together, united in the collective sighs of a community trapped in a perpetual queue. I must commend the Council for having the foresight to remind us of our own resilience—and for testing it to its absolute limits.
With both admiration and despair,
Reginald “Reggie” Ambivalence