THE major improvement of Swindon’s railway station forecourt has been delayed by the heavy rain but is still on track to be completed by the summer.

Contractor Britannia Construction, which started the work in late September, hoped to complete the work at the end of June, but the wash-out means it is likely to be a July finish.

Forward Swindon commissioned the £1.8m project to provide a more impressive and user-friendly gateway to Swindon.

Nearly £1m came from Government, while the remainder of the cost was met through Swindon Council and Network Rail.

The scheme gives pedestrians priority through an uncluttered space which will feature seating, planting, lighting and re-siting of the Millennium Clock, which used to be located in the centre of town.

Taxi ranks, drop offs and bus stops will be in well-defined locations.

Britannia Construction is well into the final phase of the work and says it is progressing well, despite a number of challenges, including the exceptional weather, which has also delayed other construction projects nationwide.

Contracts manager Rob Rees said: “We are still looking to complete the project by the summer – most likely July.

“But we have had a particular struggle with the exceptionally wet conditions lately, meaning there are certain areas where we cannot carry on paving as quickly as we would like.

“We have also experienced some flooding on site, which has been exacerbated by overflow from the adjacent Sheppard Street car park, situated on higher ground.”

Additional utilities work has also been required since the site is crossed by a number of major pipelines and drainage systems, none of which were evident at the start.

When workmen have not been able to complete part of the project, they have moved, on to another part to reduce delays.

The final stage of the project, is now being undertaken, which has seen the installation of 500 tons of natural granite to create the 2,000sq metre forecourt area.

A mix of colours define the pedestrian routes and access to transport links.