We are putting the candidates on the spot on issues affecting the people of Swindon.

Our TRANSPORT questions are:

With thousands of homes expected to be built in the next five years, how will you ensure infrastructure is upgraded at the same pace to cope?

What will your party do to ensure there is a better flow of traffic between the North and South of the town?

The Great Western Line is one of the most expensive in the country. How will will you help commuters who are paying thousands each year just to get to work?

ROBERT BUCKLAND

1. As your MP, I have helped to secure over £100m of infrastructure investment for Swindon.

Junctions 15 and 16 of the M4 will be upgraded, we will have a new bus terminus in the town centre and new roads will be built in the new developments around our town. This will be of real benefit to Swindon.

2. Already we have invested £3m in the Bruce Street bridges improvement scheme, which will end regular flooding and improve traffic flow.

I have pushed hard for the Thamesdown Drive Extension plans to be developed, and will work with the Council and the Government to ensure that this is done. I also support more improvements to roundabouts at Great Western Way.

3. I want to help Swindon commuters, so we will keep commuter rail fares frozen in real terms for the whole of the next Parliament, and there will be no flexibility for the operating company to raise ticket prices above this.

We will introduce part-time season tickets, smart ticketing and improved compensation for late services.

ANNE SNELGROVE

1. Infrastructure must be planned before new housing begins - Swindon is suffering gridlock already, and the new West Swindon development means the Thamesdown Link Road is vital.

Labour’s National Infrastructure Commission will create a transport network that spreads prosperity to every part of the country, including Swindon.

2. I back the Thamesdown Link Road and attended the recent public meeting in Peatmoor to support residents in their bid to get this road built as quickly as possible.

It’s scandalous that Wiltshire Council has got away with dumping houses on Swindon which will lead to traffic gridlock.

3. £9,000 for a season ticket Swindon to London is scandalous but there are increases of 16 per cent to come if the Tories get back in Government.

Labour will create a legal right to the cheapest ticket and bring in a public sector operator to bid to run train lines.

JOHN SHORT

1. The infrastructures needs to be redesigned to cope with the thousands of homes. It needs to have the roads and drainage built first. The roads need to be planned for estates to protect the major road network for Swindon.

2. UKIP will ensure that the Thamesdown Drive road to the Town Centre is built without delay.

That the Town Centre is remodelled to complement the North & South feeder roads. The link roads from Bath, Oxford and the Cotswold areas should be upgraded. That link roads from the rural villages are upgraded to complement the A419 which in turn is upgraded to form a circular road system around Swindon.

3. Great Western mainline should be upgraded through Swindon to give a better environment on approaches to Swindon station.

The issue of high cost fares; these would be reduced by 25% in order to help pay towards better commuter experiences. This would be paid for through greater influence over running costs.

TALIS KIMBERLEY-FAIRBOURN

1. The planning system needs rebalancing so that communities can say ‘no’ as well as ‘yes’, and saying ‘no’ without losing the right to make very much more robust demands of volume house builders with regards to their S106-style contributions. Infrastructure should never be an afterthought.

2. We need an integrated and thorough transport policy that prioritises and facilitates safe cycling and walking, and affordable public transport use, rather than being dominated by the private car.

Re-localising services and promoting homeworking would reduce journey numbers without pricing people out of necessary travel, thus easing congestion.

3. We will renationalise all railway franchises as they come up for renewal.

This will mean we can put passengers’ needs at the heart of the rail system, create a more cohesive system and stop paying out to shareholders instead of investing in improving the rail system for passengers.

DAMON HOOTON:

No response was received by the Adver from Damon Hooton