Highways News - Updates on Fleming Way, School Safety Zones and the latest works


Updates on Fleming Way, School Safety Zones and the latest roadworks	17 February 2023- Click here to view in your browser

Work continues at Fleming Way

Above: Fleming Way undergoing major changes

Towards Islington Street at the eastern end of the Fleming Way site, the principal contractor, Colas, is currently laying new duct routes on behalf of Openreach. This is to prepare for the main excavation of the road, which will start shortly.

Pedestrians that pass through The Parade and the subway may have noticed that the old charity shop and travel shop are now being structurally demolished. This began on Wednesday (15 February) and will continue over the days ahead. While the units are demolished, they will be sorted through to facilitate sending as much material as possible to be recycled.

The trial holes work for Thames Water in the Parade has now been completed.

Work at Cheltenham Street is also progressing well. New drainage and kerbing preparations have been completed and Colas are currently working on constructing the base layer for the new road.

To stay up to date with the Fleming Way Improvements project directly, you can download Colas’s dedicated “Hello Worx!” app from your app store on your mobile device or sign up to the Fleming Way newsletter and go to the scheme's web page.

New vehicle barrier at Great Western Way

map of work taking place along great western way

Above: work will soon take place along this section of Great Western Way

Work to install crash barriers along Great Western Way, between Mannington roundabout and Blagrove roundabout, is due to start next week (20 February). This work is anticipated to last for eight weeks.

Road Safety officers have been reviewing the need for vehicle restraint systems (crash barriers) on the road to prevent any potential collisions.

The project is funded through the Local Transport Plan (LTP) programme, and will include the:

introduction of a central reservation barrier
improvement to the existing nearside barriers
relocation of the traffic signs, traffic signal poles and street lighting columns further back from the edge of carriageway
extension of the 40mph limit at Blagrove Roundabout beyond the traffic lights by the Volvo garage.

For the safety of the workforce and road users, the project will require lane closures and a 30mph speed limit on this section of Great Western Way throughout the duration of the work.

New mural at Marlowe Avenue subway

New mural on Marlowe Avenue

Following the unexpected flooding at the end of last year, local Swindon and Reading artists Caryn Koh, Paul Exton and Curtis Hylton have been able to continue with the mural installation at Marlowe Avenue subway.

The mural celebrates nature, green spaces and iconic features around Swindon, whilst also promoting active travel. The mural is expected to be completed in the next week (weather permitting).

New phase of School Safety Environment Zones

banners outside Ruskin primary school asking drivers to drive carefully

Above: existing banners as part of the SSEZ scheme outside Ruskin Junior School

Traffic Management and Road Safety teams have been working closely with 20 schools, residents and local stakeholders to implement year three of the five-year School Safe Environment Zone (SSEZ) Programme.

Each SSEZ is bespoke to the needs of the school and the community, but could include new, or amended, parking restrictions, the installation of new flashing amber signs, changes to speed limits and the installation of cycle and scooter pods.

All schools have also been provided with a number of behavioural change tool kits.

Work on all the schemes started on 7 February and are scheduled to be completed today (17 February), subject to weather. Providing there are no delays, year three of the SSEZ will be effective from 20 February.

Details of the new zones outside the 20 schools are on our website.

Local residents living in streets around the listed schools can share their comments or concerns on the proposals by emailing ssez@swindon.gov.uk.

Have your say on 20mph zones in the Borough

We’re currently running a three-week consultation on proposals to introduce 20mph speed limits in a number of residential areas.

These requests have been submitted by local ward councillors on behalf of the local community as part of our invitation for applications for potential 20mph speed limits within the Borough.

The areas are:

Tismeads Crescent/Glenwood Close/Riverdale Close
Delamere Drive (Stratton)
Wanborough (The Beanlands)
Wanborough (High Street)
Rodbourne Green
Abbey View (Moredon)
Old Shaw Lane
Queensfield (Stratton)

Details of the proposals, and both the Swindon Road Safety Strategy and 20mph Schemes Policy can be viewed under the heading of ‘Stage 1 – informal consultation’.

The 20mph schemes aim to minimise the risk of collisions occurring and to ensure that when collisions do occur, the impacts are unlikely to result in death or serious injury.

Please review the plans and submit any comments you may have via the form on the website by 27 February.

Pack Hill reopened

Work on Pack Hill for the new Southern Connector Road has been progressing well, and road users can now use the new roundabout.

This work is part of the New Eastern Villages Infrastructure development, creating new communities in Swindon.

Other roadworks in your area

You can take a look at this interactive map which provides details of all roadworks across the Borough, and indicates which agencies are carrying out the work. The work below is subject to change:

Thames Avenue - 6 February to 2 April
- Thames Water has put in temporary traffic lights as a mains water line is replaced
The Fox Roundabout, Highworth - 11 to 19 February

Avtar will be working under temporary traffic lights to install a new service connection to the existing main

Wanborough Road, Wanborough - 13 February to 15 June
- The road will be closed to allow drainage works as part of the Vistry Homes Development
Highworth Road, South Marston - 13 February to 3 March
- SSE has closed the road for trench work
Croft Road - 13 February to 31 March
- Temporary traffic lights are in place as Wales & West replace a gas mains pipe
Mead Way, from Shaw Junction to Cowleaze - 13 February to 10 March
- CityFibre has installed traffic signals to use overnight as part of work in the area
Marlborough Road, Lawn - 17 to 20 February
- The road will be under temporary traffic lights as CityFibre undertake work in the area
Cricklade Road, Stratton - 19 February
- Traffic signals in place from 8am to midday to allow Openreach to install a new pole
Cricklade Road, Stratton - 20 February to 1 March
- Thames Water will impose a contraflow system to undertake maintenance work
Rodbourne Road, Outlet Village - 20 to 21 February
- Openreach will be operating temporary traffic lights overnight as they carry out maintenance
Sambre Road, Draycot Foliat - 23 February to 6 March
- Openreach will close the road between 9.30am and 3.30pm each day to carry out the installation of new junction boxes
High Street, Blunsdon - 27 February to 3 March
- Thames Water will close the road to carry out a new service connection
Lady Lane, Blunsdon - 27 February to 5 March
- Thames Water will use temporary traffic lights to add in a new mains connection
Hodson Road, Wroughton - 27 February to 8 March
- Smiths Gloucester will use temporary traffic lights as they resurface the road
Beechcroft Road - 2 to 3 March
- Temporary traffic signals will be used overnight as Thames Water cleans sewers in the area
Cricklade Road - 3 to 4 March
- Temporary traffic signals will be used overnight as Thames Water cleans sewers in the area
Ermin Street, Blunsdon - 6 to 8 March
- Thames Water will have temporary traffic signals in place as they repair defects from previous work
Hodson Road, Wroughton - 6 to 7 March
- Smiths Gloucester will close the road overnight to undertake resurfacing works
Elstree Way/Hayward Close - 9 to 15 March
- Thames Water will use temporary traffic signals as they work in the area
Weirside Avenue, Wroughton - 13 to 15 March
- Thames Water will close the road as they work in the area
Ermin Street, Stratton - 14 to 16 March
- Temporary traffic signals will be used as Thames Water work in the area
Stonehill Green, Bridgemead - 15 to 21 March
- Temporary traffic signals will be used overnight as Thames Water work in the area
Kingshill Road - 21 March
- Temporary traffic signals will be used by Thames Water as they repaid a sewer
Westcott Plane - 1 to 19 April
- CityFibre will close the road to undertake work
Severn Avenue - 3 to 16 April
- Thames Water will close the road to replace a mains water line
Dorcan Way - 14 to 27 April
- Temporary traffic signals will be used by SSE as they undertake work in the area
Milton Road (Service Road) - 17 April
- Openreach will close the road to undertake works