Fleming Way improvements

Fleming Way is undergoing a major upgrade and transformation as the main gateway to the town centre. This includes construction of a new bus interchange, vastly improved public open spaces and new cycle lane facilities that link up the main cycling routes across the town.

It will improve connectivity between the train station and the town centre for both residents and visitors, creating a safer, easier to understand route through the town centre.

Backed by a government-approved business case, the project will stimulate further investment in the town centre by increasing land values and making it more attractive for investors to bring forward new homes, offices, shops and leisure facilities.

Key elements of the scheme include:

• Creating one inclusive bus interchange to accommodate all bus services in the town centre. All buses previously operating from Swindon bus station and from Fleming Way will leave from a single location. A ‘hub’ at the western end of the scheme (currently Cheltenham Street car park) will be provided for the inter-urban bus and coach services (Oxford, Salisbury and National Express Services).
• Improving the connectivity of the town centre shopping area with the railway station and the business districts to the north of Fleming Way, with new traffic light-controlled pedestrian crossings
• Removal of the Fleming Way subway to make the road the same level as the town centre shopping area and The Parade, with a large pedestrian crossing controlled by traffic lights
• Provision of new cycle routes on Fleming Way to connect the town’s western and eastern cycle flyers
• Allowing access for buses, taxis and bikes only along Fleming Way between the Whalebridge junction and Milford Street
• Protecting as many of the existing mature trees as possible and planting over 170 new semi-mature trees to encourage biodiversity
• Planting over 100 mixed hedgerow bee-friendly plants, plus hundreds more shrubs along the central reservation that will also form part of the scheme’s drainage system
• Installing environmentally sustainable bus shelters
• Removing the bus station so the space can be incorporated into the regeneration of the 20-acre site next to Zurich’s new offices off Fleming Way

In November 2024, the Council’s Cabinet approved a draft vision for the ‘Heart of Swindon’ which sets out eight ambitions to reinvent the town centre and over 50 ways these could be realised, working with private, public and voluntary sectors. 

These include:

• exploring the redevelopment of the Brunel Centre with the owner, which could marry retail and other uses including community space, workspaces and apartment living for students, young people and those downsizing
• creating up to 5,000 new homes in the town centre, many of which would be affordable
• building a new state-of-the-art entertainment venue, able to cater for a wide range of events including large West End touring shows, music concerts and big events, located on the former bus station at Kimmerfields
• developing a new professional performance space in the town centre for Wilkes Academy, to rehearse and showcase students’ work

Following approval at Cabinet, the draft vision will now be subject to a public consultation before being finalised in 2025.

• 2019-2022: Work to divert Openreach’s ‘super highway’ of cables underneath the central reservation of Fleming Way, so the road can be lowered
• September 2021: Demolition of disused The Parade car park just off Fleming Way so that the site can be included in the wider plans for the new bus interchange, providing the bus stops for some of Swindon’s rural bus services
• April 2022: Start of work on the new bus interchange at the western end of the scheme (currently Cheltenham Street car park) to service the inter-urban bus and coach services (Oxford, Salisbury and National Express services)
• September 2022: Start of work between the Whalebridge junction and Milford Street. This will involve the full closure of Fleming Way to all traffic
• 2022-2025: Work ongoing to transform Fleming Way
• Project completion date: Autumn 2025

On 4 September 2022, Fleming Way closed to all traffic. The ‘Impact on journeys from September 2022’ section provides more information on diversions for motorists and the location of Swindon Bus Company’s temporary bus stops.

Fleming Way will be open to buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians. It will no longer be a route for private vehicles and through traffic.

A public consultation was undertaken during March 2020 to update the public on the proposals and delivery programme. Four drop-in events held in May and August 2022 gave the public a chance to view the plans and find out more information about the scheme.

Regular updates on the project have been provided to the public through the local media, on the Council’s social media channels and through a dedicated project e-newsletter.

The £33 million project is being funded as follows:

• Central government (Future High Streets Fund) - £25 million
• Swindon Borough Council - £5 million
• Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (Local Growth Fund) - £3 million

We submitted a business case approved by the Government to secure the £25 million contribution from the Future High Streets Fund.

You can sign-up to the project newsletter for updates, selecting the one called ‘Fleming Way improvements’. Also check our Facebook page and the local media for regular updates on the scheme.

Any specific project queries should still be directed to our project team at FlemingWay@swindon.gov.uk, where a member of the team can answer you directly.

Colas Projects Ltd, who delivered the Birmingham Airport runway extension as well as many other high-profile infrastructure projects, were appointed in March 2022 as the main project contractor.

The subway was permanently closed on 14 August 2023 to enable us to lower the road level on Fleming Way. View a map of the pedestrian diversion route in place.

For pedestrians going to and from The Parade shopping area, the diversion route runs west along Fleming Way by H&M and then north along Milford Street. Safety fencing and a new pavement surface will be in place to keep members of the public safe whilst work continues on site. The subway will be replaced by a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing over the new road, creating a wider and more open space.

It is anticipated that the alternative route will be in place until works are completed in the area. Updates on progress will be provided by the project team.

The diversion route will be west along Fleming Way and then north along Milford Street.  Pedestrians will then be able to access the Bus and Train stations and the Tri-centre buildings via the existing crossing at Milford Street and Wellington Street.

A map of the route is available to view on our impacts on journeys page.

The priority of Swindon Borough Council and the principal contractor is the safety of the general public and staff. The diversion route enables everyone to be kept as safe as possible whilst enabling work to continue on site.  

The current position of utilities has prevented us from using a shorter diversion route across Fleming Way.

The new route will be fully accessible, gradients have been assessed and a new ground surface will be in place. In addition, markings to support those who are visually impaired will be in place. The new route will also have lighting.

Unfortunately, the diversion route could not be any closer to the subway due to the position of existing utilities. It was also important that progress on site was not impacted by a pedestrian diversion which split the site in two.

Yes we worked with the principal contractor to look at all possible options for the revised route. This included accommodating a crossing close to the subway route and alternative routes through the town centre.

The final route was chosen as it met the requirements to ensure public and site staff safety and enable work to be completed in efficient way.

You can find out more information by:

• viewing Fleming Way improvements
• signing up to the dedicated Fleming Way Improvements Newsletter
• emailing the council project team directly at flemingway@swindon.gov.uk