Major route opens amid £33m revamp
The Whalebridge end of Fleming Way in Swindon can now be used by walkers, and the overall project is on target to finish later this summer.
Pedestrians faced long diversions and drivers have suffered traffic disruption since September 2022, when Fleming Way closed for works to connect the bus and train station to the town centre.
The project faced delays when it was discovered telecommunication cables were not buried deep enough for the new designs.
More news stories for Wiltshire
Listen to the latest news for Wiltshire
Cyclists will have dedicated lanes alongside the bus lanes which will be controlled by traffic lights, allowing pedestrians to cross safely.
There will also be new greenery to support local wildlife, and make the walk between the town centre and bus and train stations "a lot more pleasant", according to the council.
Councillor Chris Watts, the council's cabinet member for environment and transport, previously said: "Those visiting the town centre are sure to notice how different the road now looks when compared to earlier in the scheme."
More than 180 trees and 23,000 shrubs and bushes have also been planted creating a bus boulevard, he added.
Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Town centre revamp 'on target' for summer opening
Subway to be demolished in town-centre revamp
Swindon Borough Council
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
JD Vance's Summer Vacation Is About to Be Hit With Major Protests
The UK Stop Trump Coalition and other protesters are planning to put Vice President JD Vance's luxury vacation spot on blast. Vance and his family have a trip scheduled for the Cotswolds, a countryside region in Southwest England often frequented by the rich and famous (Ellen DeGeneres currently resides there). They're expected to be met with a wide variety of demonstrators—anti-Trump, pro-Palestinian, trade union members, and environmentalists. 'JD Vance is every bit as unwelcome in the UK as Donald Trump,' a representative from the UK based Stop Trump Coalition told The Telegraph. 'We remember how Vance cut short his ski trip in Vermont because he was so enraged by the sight of a few protesters. We are sure that, even in the Cotswolds, he will find the resistance waiting.' The group also plans to protest President Trump's upcoming visit to Scotland, which begins on Friday. Vance will also be in London in mid-August, then head to Cotswolds, and later to Scotland. The vice president has been met with vitriol on his vacations thus far, speaking to the mostly negative feelings that much of the public has for the current administration, both home and abroad. He and his family were booed ruthlessly while they were at Disneyland earlier this month. 'Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance,' California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X. 'The families you're tearing apart certainly won't.'
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ex-footballer finishes Tour De France challenge
Former Wolves and England footballer Geoff Thomas has completed his seventh Tour De France challenge with the hope of raising £1m for research into leukaemia. Thomas, who lives in Worcestershire, has been part of Tour 21 team which has been following the exact same route as the Tour De France, a week ahead of the professionals racing. He was given just three months to live in 2003 after being diagnosed with leukaemia, but overcame the illness two years later after treatment and a stem cell transplant. He first took part in the challenge for Cure Leukaemia in 2005, when he was six months in remission, and the 2025 race he completed on Sunday is his last, he said. Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester after crossing the finish line in Paris, he said the experience had been "magical". "Everyone's been so good on this event. We've bonded as a team," he said. "I think you become like a family and after a few weeks together doing a ridiculously hard challenges every day is a bond that's built for life." "I started this 20 years ago. It was all purely to raise money for Cure Leukaemia and get [professor] Charlie Craddock the funding he needed to fulfil his dream of building a clinical research centre that would fast-track all the wealth of knowledge that's in the science labs to benefit patients. "Over the last 15 years I can say for sure with the infrastructure we've set up, it's working and people are largely being saved on the back of these fantastic guys raising money for a great cause." He said he was not normally an emotional man but seeing his family at the end of the race was tough. "I knew everybody would be here [at the finishing line] and I had a little moment to myself and then when I came here I just wanted to enjoy everyone's enjoyment and see it in their eyes," he added. "I've done it numerous times... but taking on a challenge like that and meeting in Paris is magical." His wife Julie said she was "so proud". "It's just fantastic. It's a huge challenge and I think 90% is your mental state," she said. "I think Geoff being a professional sportsman, I think he just has that drive in him, no matter what's happening to your body, you just get on with it. "I think he doesn't really think about what's going on at the time, he just pushes on for the charity really, for the cause." Thomas, who was appointed an MBE in 2021 for his work raising money for cancer charities, said everyone that took part should be proud of themselves and what they had achieved. "I am proud of them and I'm proud of the charity and that's why I carry on doing this and oddly, even though I was the most unfit I've been taking on this challenge, it's inspired me even more than any other." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. More on this story Thomas prepares for seventh charity Tour De France Ex-footballer in fundraising vow after Tour exit Ex-Wolves star finishes Tour de France for charity Geoff Thomas receives MBE for cancer charity work Related internet links The Tour 21
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Major railway line issues 'do not travel' message
A major railway line has urged customers not to travel on the morning of Monday, July, 21 following a significant signalling failure at London Waterloo, which has caused widespread disruption across the South Western Railway (SWR) network. The fault has left Platforms 1 to 14 unusable at the capital's busiest rail station, severely limiting the number of trains that can operate in and out of central London. As a result, trains and crew are now displaced across the network, triggering knock-on delays and cancellations. In a statement issued this morning, a SWR spokesperson said: "Due to a major signalling failure at London Waterloo, please do not travel on our services this morning. READ MORE: Rail line to shut for ten days over safety concerns READ MORE: Car with child passenger crashes into telephone pole shutting road for hours "The failure of the equipment that routes trains in and out of the station means we cannot use Platforms 1 to 14 at London Waterloo at this time, significantly limiting capacity. "Engineers are on site attempting to restore the use of the platforms, but with very few trains able to move in and out of London Waterloo and trains and crew already displaced, services across the network are severely disrupted. "While we are hoping to restore some services later in the day, these are still likely to be subject to delays and alterations." SWR and Network Rail went on to apologise for the disruption and is urging passengers to avoid travel on SWR services for now. While technicians work to resolve the issue, no estimated time for full restoration has been given. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Passengers were further advised that SWR would not be reimbursing taxi fares, but tickets dated for Monday will remain valid for travel on Tuesday, as reported by the Daily Mail. Customers can check the latest updates on the SWR website or on by heading to X (formerly Twitter) before travelling.
