A PLAN to close the pedestrian underpass on Queens Drive has been branded "a death trap waiting to happen".

Jonathan Myler, who lives in nearby Kirby Close, is frustrated Swindon Borough Council want to get rid of the subway as many walkers and school children use it to negotiate the busy road safely. He says it may also bring congestion to Queens Drive. 

“It sounds daft to me," said Jonathan. "I cannot see why they need to waste time and money filling in the subway. 

“If you’re closing it, Queens Drive will go into one lane so there will be so much traffic. They’re having a consultation but how can it be safe? 

"It sounds dangerous to me and the traffic backs up to New College and clogs there. 

“From Queens Drive, getting to the hospital is fine currently but with one lane you probably won’t be able to.”

The council is looking to take two subways the Coate Water roundabout out of use. They currently allow people to pass under Marlborough Road and Queens Drive on foot or bike. 

A new road crossing on Queens Drive and the existing one on Marlborough Road would be used instead.

The Marlborough Road underpass has been plagued by flooding and has been filled with raw sewage during the winter months. But Jonathan argues this is not the case at Kirby Close.

Jonathan said: “With the subway, you get a bit of antisocial behaviour but it doesn’t flood like the other one. It has bright lights and cameras for dog walkers getting to the woods. Some people are nervous to cross and on a busy morning with children waiting at a crossing, they will be running out in front of impatient drivers.

"This is a death trap waiting to happen.

“The subways are safer than putting a crossing and it works well, it’s not very long either. The costs of it, would it even be practical? If you come from Coate Water there are lots of traffic lights at the church, Co-op and the school so it’s not letting any of the traffic through.”

Jonathan would also like to see more parking available as Kirby Close can fill up quickly.

He added: “They should certainly put more parking in the close if they have money left over from the filling in of the subway. The parking can get crazy and ambulances and delivery drivers have huge difficulty in getting into the close.”

A Swindon Borough Council spokesperson said: “The proposed subway decommissioning at Kirby Close and Queens Drive will address the current condition of the subway and the significant maintenance that would be needed to improve it.

“A crossing on the road will be introduced that is wide enough to safely accommodate pedestrians and cyclists, something the existing subway cannot do.

“There has already been a separate independent road safety audit to identify and address any potential risks. A further audit will be conducted later in the design process to identify any more risks and come up with solutions.

“Following the original public consultation, we are now reviewing all responses and the plans will be assessed against these comments for a decision on the proposed scheme. The question of providing parking in Kirby Close will be brought under discussion at the same time."