THE closure of Mill Lane to motorists is causing trouble for cyclists who try to use the route due to the barriers leaving little space to get through.

Dave Knight and Jason Cook got on their bikes for some exercise on Friday and went to use the road that had recently been closed off to vehicles.

It's blocked at both ends with concrete slabs, cones, and a 'road closed' sign, leaving a small gap for people to walk or cycle past.

Dave told the Adver: "I was surprised when I went to go cycle the route because there wasn't any space for anyone with a pram or with a bike. It's blocked in two different places on either side of the road, and I had to move the cones to be able to squeeze past.

"It struck me that the council is happy to talk about it from a PR perspective, but they should have made sure it was accessible for pedestrians and cyclists.

"The old railway path, which is a cycle track, from Old Town, is dangerous too. It's very muddy with branches all over the route. They need to be improved and signed better, and it should also have better access points."

Mill Lane connects Old Town to Wichelstowe and was notorious for lorries getting stuck. That is why Swindon Borough Council decided to close it off to traffic and transform it into a pedestrian and cycle lane as part of the Wichelstowe development.

Its last day open to motorists was on April 25, but not everyone was happy about the decision.

Many thought it should have only been closed off to lorries but not other vehicles. Others said it's more damaging to the environment because motorists will have to drive further to get to their destination.

Dave said: "It's great that they've done this, and I'm very supportive of the decision. I appreciate that there are many reasons why they decided to close it. But one of the big issues of Swindon's cycle routes is the linking and the access to them, and they need to be improved."

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said: “We have asked our contractor to reposition the concrete blocks as we want to encourage pedestrians and cyclists to use this new safe, green corridor between Old Town and Wichelstowe, and not make it more difficult for them to navigate.

“We would like to reassure local residents that the current barrier is a temporary solution and plans are in place to introduce staggered gates and better signage to reinforce the closure of Mill Lane.”