The closure of Upham Road at the start of the week has taken many residents by surprise.

People living in the street say they weren’t notified of the closure of the route off Drove Road.

It has been shut for emergency repairs at the junction with Burford Avenue. A sign at the end of the road says it will be closed for two weeks.

There are four sites where work will be done. The others are at the Drove Road junction and further along nearer Queens Drive.

One resident Susan York was unhappy. She said: “Nobody told anyone of us about this, we didn’t get a leaflet, it would have been nice to have been told.”

She said many people, especially students and school children who attend New College Swindon at the Queens Drive campus and nearby schools seemed unaware of the closure. “They were standing at the bus stop, and we had to tell them that the bus wasn’t running.

“I don’t know if the council told the bus company and the schools, you’d hope so, but it certainly didn’t tell us.”

Another neighbour who would only give his name as Tony said: “On Friday signs were put up saying that Upham Rd would be closed for two weeks starting from Monday and since then I have been unable to find out how it will affect the local residents

“There is absolutely nothing on the council website, I phoned the council and asked for any info. I asked to be put through to the roads department, but that was not possible and all they could suggest was emailing, which not everyone has access to and in any case they say there is five-day turn-around.”

Walcot and Park North ward councillor Emma Bushell is also trying to find out more information.

She said: “Most people are pleased the emergency work is being done. It’s a shame that the job three years ago which caused major disruption wasn’t done properly and has to be re-done, but it’s good that it’s being done.

“I want to know why people living here had only three days’ notice.

"People who had been away for the weekend were totally unaware - I saw people at bus stops where there were notices, but they hadn’t seen them - they had to be told that the bus wasn’t coming that way.

She added: "I will be asking why the communication of this work was so late.”

A borough council spokesman said: “The local bus companies were fully briefed on the works. Advance notification signs were erected and a letter drop to residents and businesses along Upham Road was also completed.”

Three years ago Upham Road was closed for 10 weeks for two phases of resurfacing work.

The council said the new emergency works were not because that work was now defective but it was needed for damage to previously unrepaired stretches.

“When the major maintenance of Upham Road was carried out three years ago, the road’s concrete base was replaced where significant damage had occurred. The small sections of road that are currently being repaired were deemed to be in sufficiently good condition. Unfortunately, over time, defects have occurred in these sections, and we are now carrying out a permanent repair.

“We would like to reassure local residents and motorists that we will complete the works as soon as we can to minimise any disruption.”

Service 17 and 17A run by Swindon’s Bus Company are affected by the closure.

The company said: “Service 17 will divert from Groundwell Road via Drove Road, Magic Roundabout, Queens Drive then normal route, in both directions.

“The nearest alternative stop will be New College and The Merlin. We apologise for the disruption and any inconvenience caused.”