Swindon road scheme sparks anger over further remedial work
A troubled town centre improvement scheme which was scrapped and restarted due to paving issues is to undergo further remedial work.
The £851,000 project on Wellington Street, Swindon, is designed to create a more accessible route between the railway station and the town centre. The road upgrade was delayed by six weeks in April after the council decided it was "not up to scratch". Since opening last week it has suffered pooling issues after heavy rainfall. A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said additional drainage works will be carried out to address the problem. "This is part of the remedial work that is taking place over the next week and we are confident that this will be solved," he said. "We are grateful to residents and businesses in the area for bearing with us while the work has been undertaken and the remedial works are finished off." However, local residents have expressed their frustration towards the council at this latest setback. Posting on Facebook, Roy Bezzant said: "Poor design and poor execution, when will the council learn." Debbie Carter called it an "absolute disgrace". The council also pledged to fit shields on new street lights after residents living in nearby apartments complained they were too bright. Work on the road upgrade began in January, but it was delayed by six weeks in April when the council scrapped it after deciding it did not like the paving grout used. The revamp includes separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians and a zebra crossing over Wellington Street.