Thamesdown Bus Company is in the process of spending £1.4million on 10 new single-decker buses for Swindon. This shows the price of vehicles these days, with the new double-deckers on the X5 route are costing £230,000.
Great Western Railways has been named as the main sponsor of the Swindon Railway Works’ 175th anniversary celebrations. One of the events being planned is the sounding of a replica ‘works hooter’ with the aid of steam from a traction engine. This will happen on Saturday 26 March at 4.30pm, near to Steam Museum/Outlet Village.
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the first running of the High Speed Train from Bristol to London. One of the first power cars, No 43002, is going to be put back into the historic livery which it carried in 1976 and there will be a special charity open day at St Philip’s Marsh Depot in Bristol on the 2 May, Bank Holiday Monday.
Network Rail is building a £3million road in the Wootton Bassett area to alleviate a 24 mile diversion due to three bridges being raised for the new electric line. Two bridges will be raised between March and October 2016 and the third one between October and March 2017.
A recent railway passenger usage survey placed Swindon station at No3, ahead of Plymouth and Exeter, with Bristol and Bath in 1st and 2nd place.
The line between Bristol Temple Meads and Bath Spa will be closed from Saturday 2 April to Sunday 10 April, with buses replacing trains. Trains from Bristol to London will be diverted via Bristol Parkway or Gloucester to Swindon. Southampton trains will come to Swindon and go via Bristol Parkway to Bristol Temple Meads, but the service will be very curtailed.
A warning for motorists driving into Swindon. Over the past six months, 10,022 motorists have been fined for turning into bus lanes outside the Outlet Village, Rodbourne Road into Penzance Drive and also by the Jury Inn in the centre of Swindon. You must go up to the next set of traffic lights and turn right by the Magistrates Court.
It is hoped that the Bruce Street Bridges roadworks will finally be finished by the end of March.
Cllr David Hill
Chiseldon Parish Council