Council seeks views on plans to ease Rodbourne congestion

Swindon Borough Council has today sent letters to the residents and businesses based in the immediate vicinity of the Rodbourne Road and Kemble Drive area to ask them to fill out a survey to help inform a road improvement plan.

As a key part of the Rodbourne Area Action Plan, aimed at easing congestion in the area, the Council last year commissioned a feasibility study to look at how traffic could flow more easily on Rodbourne Road at the Bruce Street Bridges junction.

In response to residents’ requests, the study looked at the impact of introducing an additional lane northbound from Rodbourne Road on to Great Western Way at the Bruce Street Bridges junction.

The study has now been completed and a preferred scheme has been identified. It is expected that this will provide additional road capacity while also retaining the uncontrolled pedestrian crossing facility and a loading bay to serve nearby businesses.

The recommended scheme, on which the views of residents and businesses are being sought and which has the support of local ward councillors, involves making the following changes:

• Creating an additional lane on the Rodbourne Road northbound approach to Kemble Drive
• Widening the Rodbourne Road/Kemble Drive junction to allow three lanes at the stop line of the southern arm of the Bruce Street Bridges junction

The loading layby will be retained along with the footway and pedestrian crossing.

Traffic modelling has indicated that this would improve traffic flow and will have a significant benefit on journey times along Rodbourne Road northbound during the weekday and evening peaks, and along Kemble Drive.

Councillor Maureen Penny, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Maintenance and Waste Services, said: “Today we have written to residents and businesses in the area to ask for their feedback on the improvement plans.

“This improvement scheme has been designed to reduce congestion and improve journey times, while maintaining provision for loading and unloading for the adjacent businesses.

“I would like to thank everybody who has been involved with developing it and I eagerly await feedback from local people before we proceed.”

Councillor Kevin Small, ward councillor for Mannington and Western and Rodbourne resident, said: “Ward councillors welcome the consultation and the proposed changes to the layout to the Bruce Street Bridges roundabout system.

“The extra lane by the Methodist Church will help to improve access onto the roundabout and reduce the length of queuing cars on Rodbourne Road. While this will not solve the traffic congestion issues in full, it is a welcome contribution to resolving the matter.”

The deadline for responses is Friday, 18 December and the Council will consider all feedback.