A MOTION is set to go before the council next week calling for a group to be set up to deal with future traffic issues in the town.

It is being put forward by Coun Bob Wright (Lab, Central), who says the amount of roadworks in Swindon could have been avoided if road users had been consulted.

However, the move has been dismissed by council chiefs, who say sufficient forums already exist, and the motion is simply ‘playing politics.’ A key focus of the roadworks has been around Bruce Street Bridges, which is being upgraded to a single roundabout.

While Coun Wright says everyone was aware of this, the flood alleviation works around Cheney Manor could have been avoided.

He said: “When describing the road works the cabinet member for transport Coun Dale Heenan (Con, Covingham and Dorcan) neglected to tell the public why the chaos in Rodbourne followed. “It is because he had accepted a grant from the Environment Agency, which had to be spent by the end of March.

“He gave the impression that it was all out of his control but in accepting the grant he knew what would follow.”

The motion, which will go to full council on Thursday, will call for a more co-ordinated approach, which Coun Wright wants to involve user groups, such as taxi drivers.

“It makes sense for road users to have a say as they are the ones who are being impacted by the works,” he said.

“If you keep hearing political voices or those of officers you are not going to get an idea exactly how people are being affected. It’s people’s voices that are needed.”

Coun Heenan says his opponent knew of the work and is merely looking to gain favour for his party ahead of May’s election.

He said: “I said several months ago that things needed to improve, and the council's cross- party highways committee agreed to my request in December to look at all the issues Coun Bob Wright now decides to raise.

“Bob is a member of the highways committee and chairman of the scrutiny sommittee, Bob voted for the cross-party roadworks task group to be setup, and Bob was asked to take part.

“Bob also knows that all of the Bruce Street Bridges roadworks and the Rodbourne Cheney anti-flooding work was agreed, tendered and funded before I took over, yet Bob now has amnesia as he tries to be mischievous.

“With the General Election just 90 days away, I will leave it to residents to consider why the Labour attack dogs are trying to lay blame, and play politics, instead of working for local residents.”