Revised vehicle barrier design pushes Mead Way closer to finishing line
The end is near for a road scheme after Swindon Borough Council approved revised designs for road barriers along Mead Way.
Published: Wednesday, 13th July 2022
The barriers, which will be installed above the underpass for the safety of motorists, had to be redesigned after changes were made to the network of utility cables running underneath the road. It is anticipated the work will be finished and the scheme fully completed in September.
A number of utility companies had to move their cables underneath the road to allow Mead Way to be widened.
However, when one of the utility companies took the opportunity to future-proof its network by installing extra services, there was little room for the foundations needed for the safety barriers. This has resulted in a more intricate and complicated design, which has taken a number of months to bring forward.
The contractor for the Mead Way scheme, Britannia, will begin installing the new barriers to replace the current temporary structures on Monday, 25 July and, once in place, it will take an extra month for the concrete to cure.
The road will remain open to traffic throughout, apart from one overnight closure to allow for the removal of the temporary barriers.
When the new barriers are in place, the eastbound bus stop will be reopened and normal bus services will resume.
Mead Way was re-opened to traffic on Tuesday, 30 November 2021 and the new design of the road includes a new signalised junction at Westmead Drive and Stonehill Green with a toucan crossing for pedestrians to cross Westmead Drive. Motorists have also benefitted from an additional northbound lane.
Councillor Gary Sumner, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Infrastructure, Transport and Planning, said: “There is no doubt that Mead Way has been one of the most challenging highways projects we have ever undertaken and I really am sorry it has taken so long to complete.
“This latest delay really emphasises the complexities associated with the project and the impact utility diversions have had on the programme.
“But, we are now thankfully entering the final stages and we hope to see the completion of the Mead Way improvements over the next two months.”