SWINDON is set to receive a massive transport boost after £150m was allocated to improve transport throughout the town and beyond.
The South West Regional Assembly (SWRA) spent much of yesterday pondering how to divide up the cash around the region – finally agreeing the money should be split between three separate improvement phases.
Phase one will consist of £22m to improve and increase the town’s capacity for roundabouts, dual carriageways and lights.
Phase two will involve £111m and would be largely spent on the town’s rapid transit system – which would attempt to improve links from the proposed eastern expansion area to the town centre.
And phase three will consist of a further £20m to develop a second railway line from Swindon to Kemble, should a £1m feasibility study agree.
Mike Bawden, who is chairman of SWRA’S planning committee and also sitting as a member of the executive, said he was pleased with the outcome of the meetings.
He said: “This is a major allocation of funds and the opportunity to have a dual Kemble line which would be a major boost for Swindon. We are trying to reduce people’s travel times, this is a major opportunity to improve travel to work, shopping, leisure and to get people out of their cars and onto public transit. This project is very likely to run until 2019.”
Anyone interested in finding out more is asked to visit www.southwest-ra.gov.uk in a week’s time when the information will be uploaded.
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