PLANS to relieve pressure on a Westlea road have received a mixed reaction from residents.

They say that cars have clogged Welton Road since the arrival of Oxford Brookes’ new health and life sciences campus last year.

Plans to tackle the parking problem were discussed at a meeting of residents, university managers and councillors this week. They included proposals to paint double yellow lines down one side of Welton Road, preventing double parking.

Reaction to the plans was mixed.

Resident Eve Rose, who was at the meeting on Tuesday, said: “It would certainly take the pressure off Welton Road, but it’s not going to help the residents. Where are the students going to go? They’re going to go into the estate.”

She said stressed that she did not have a problem with the individual students but said that it was “sad” that better plans addressing the parking had not been put in place before the college moved to its new site.

Eve added: “It’s going to take an accident to happen before something’s done.”

Councillor Mary Martin, cabinet member for communities and place, said: “Many staff and students do walk, cycle and use public transport but the very specialist courses that the university offers mean that some people are travelling from outside of Swindon.

“We are all considering whether additional traffic measures, such as a yellow lines, would be beneficial or if this would displace parking onto residential roads. We’re very conscious of the impact on residents and are continuing to seek mutually agreeable solutions.”

Councillor Jim Robbins, Labour shadow spokesman for strategic planning at transport, said: “It was a useful and constructive meeting.

"Oxford Brookes and the other businesses on the Delta are all keen to find solutions to the parking issues that work for local residents although it is clear that there are no easy solutions.”

A spokesman for Oxford Brookes said the university was “supportive” of schemes to ensure “safer and more considerate” parking. It has already halved student parking fees.

He said: “The university has also proposed that Swindon Borough Council further consider the redirection of local bus routes to support alternative methods of transport for users of the business park.”

“Oxford Brookes has a strong commitment to sustainable travel and actively encourages use of public transport with generous incentives for rails users and cyclists.

"The university has taken proactive steps to manage our car park for those who need to drive to campus, which has included reducing student parking fees by 50 per cent, and will continue to explore further opportunities.”

Meanwhile, it has emerged that fire crews from nearby Westlea Fire Station have leafleted cars in the area, warning them to leave at least three metres between lines of cars for a fire engine to squeeze through.

Group manager Glyn Moody, deputy area commander for Swindon, said: “While we have yet to experience any access issues around Welton Road, – crews check regularly and, so far, have always been able to get through – we have leafleted cars in the area just to remind drivers of the importance of maintaining sufficient clearance for a fire engine.

“We are supporting Swindon Borough Council, Oxford Brookes and local residents as they seek solutions to the problem.”