Council starts work on two schemes to promote sustainable travel

Work has begun at two separate locations to encourage more people to use local cycle/pedestrian routes across the town.

This week work began to improve the surface of the Old Town railway path, which runs from Signal Way in Old Town to the bottom of Kingshill Road.

The improvements are expected to take four weeks to complete and will be carried out during the day Monday to Friday.

Ecological factors have limited the scope of the works, but work will take place at the following sections with specialist ecological advice regarding the presence of wildlife:

·         Between Field Rise and the Wilts and Berks canal (Skew Bridge)

·         At the junction with Field Rise

·         The section between the Devizes Road/Croft Road bridge and the Springfield Road/Westlecot Road bridge

Access to the path will be maintained throughout, but there will be some disruption for users. The improvements are being funded from the Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund.

The other scheme, which is also expect to take four weeks to complete, is at Kingsdown Lane, off Turnpike Road.

Resurfacing works started on Kingsdown Lane last week and will see improvements made between Highworth Road (South Marston Business Park) and Blunsdon (Turnpike Road).

Councillor Maureen Penny, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Maintenance and Waste Services, said: “I am really pleased we have been able to use this government funding to improve these two cycle and pedestrian routes because it is really important we do all we can to promote sustainable travel.

“We already have an excellent cycle network in Swindon thanks to significant investment in recent years and hopefully these upgraded paths will encourage more people onto their bikes.”