A number of recent ‘near-misses’ on junction 16 of the M4 have created concern over the roundabout’s unclear lane markings. Residents of Royal Wootton Bassett travelling from Swindon back to their home town have become accustomed to the junction 16 roundabout which connects Swindon to the M4. For those who have lived in Bassett their whole lives, it makes sense to join the middle lane labelled ‘Royal W’Bass’.
But for visitors hoping to get to Royal Wootton Bassett who are not familiar with the local towns or abbreviations, many may be tempted to join the left lane labelled ‘W’ton’. ‘W’ton’ is in fact an abbreviation for Wroughton and not Wootton. The junction 16 layout has been labelled as confusing’ since the moment it was first introduced in 2018, but drivers have now revealed that the confusion has gotten so bad they fear using the roundabout and anticipate having to let in drivers from the wrong lane.
Multiple drivers say they've driven in the wrong lane after getting confused between Royal Wootton Bassett and Wroughton (Image: Google Maps) “I had one driver roll down his window yesterday shouting abuse at me saying I was in the wrong lane when I was in the Royal Wootton Bassett lane and he was in the Wroughton lane,” said Katie Booth, who had been driving with her two young children. “ I see multiple drivers in the Wroughton lane crossing straight into the Bassett lane or even over to the motorway lane right at the last minute, Something n.