Wichelstowe southern access scheme
The Wichelstowe southern access road (WSA) is located to the southwest of Swindon and crosses the M4 motorway to the east of junction 16. The scheme will provide the fourth access to the Wichelstowe development and is a requirement of the planning permission for the wider Wichelstowe site. It will help support 4,500 new homes, the new district centre and will also unlock 12.5 hectares of employment land, supporting around 2,000 new jobs.
The WSA also forms part of our vision, priorities and pledges to local people.
What is included in the scheme?
The highway infrastructure scheme will create an additional access into Wichelstowe via a new underpass beneath the M4. This will form part of the eventual connection between Hay Lane and Wharf Road, Redposts Drive to the north and Croft Road to the east through Wichelstowe. It will connect to both Hay Lane and Wharf Road via a new roundabout on the south side.
The main function of the WSA is to provide access to Wichelstowe. It is not designed as a relief road or expected to attract large volumes of through traffic. The road will be a single carriageway, two way road.
The scheme will also include facilities for cycling and walking. This will be via the new link, providing a route across the M4 that avoids junction 16.
How the underpass was constructed
The video below shows how the underpass was built, while keeping traffic flowing throughout the project.
Timescales for the project
Construction of the underpass and the new roundabout south of the M4, has now been completed. While the Council’s WSA scheme is now almost complete, completion of the new road, Wichel Way, will fall to developers of the Wichelstowe site, who will finish work on the road and connect it to Wichelstowe. Wichel Way will stay closed to traffic until that work is complete.
Funding and cost
The Department for Transport (DfT) allocated £22.9m in funding towards the scheme via Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, with Swindon Borough Council contributing an additional £5.8m. Alun Griffiths Ltd was contracted to complete the detailed design and construction of the scheme.
Questions and answers
You can find the answers to any questions you may have about the Wichelstowe Southern Access (WSA) scheme, on the WSA questions and answers page.