ONE metre will be added to the width of both straights on Swindon Robins’ new track and the start-finish line will be pushed back, chairman Terry Russell has confirmed.

Work on the new layout started on Sunday morning after permission was granted by Stadia UK to form the proposed track last week.

Chalk will form the track’s base over the next two days before shale is applied towards the end of the week.

This follows the completion of a new retaining wall, which had to be put into place before any work on the 320m track could start.

While the new track will be 43m shorter than the previous one, Russell insists the nature of the layout will still require riders to carry plenty of speed around all four corners.

“We’re very pleased with the shape of the track, it’s still a big track – it certainly isn’t a small one,” said Russell.

“It’s a decent size track at 320 metres, and we’re happy with what we have got.

“It’s best not to compare the track with anything, it will be Swindon’s track.

“The straights are a metre wider, and bends one and two will be a different shape.

“It’s got a more sweeping approach into it, as opposed to what we had before.

“We’ll have more people working on Thursday, otherwise we would have people standing around with their hands in their pockets.

“It’s mainly contractors. We had all the chalk in to form our base on Tuesday and we’ll spend the next couple of days rolling that hard before the shale goes over the top of it.

“We’ll tyre pack the shale and roll that.

“We’re in for a decent run of weather too, which will help us immensely.”

Talk of a new stadium for the Robins was first made public more than a decade ago, with planning applications dating back to 2007.

Stadium owners Gaming International were granted planning permission for a new stadium by nine votes to one at a Swindon Borough Council Planning Committee meeting in November of last year.

But work is yet to start on the new build, and Russell stated the situation is largely out of his control when asked if it is likely that work on a new stadium is likely to start before the end of the year.

Delays to the new track – and stadium – have naturally frustrated club officials and supporters.

But the Robins chief hopes news regarding work on the new track will come as welcome relief for the club’s supporters, who will watch Alun Rossiter’s side start their 2019 SGB Premiership campaign at home to Belle Vue on Thursday, April 11.

Russell added: “We believe in the team, we know we have a good track record for putting a competitive side together.

“We’re up there with the favourites, we have a very powerful top five with competitive reserves.”

Meanwhile, the Advertiser understands the club will announce its press and practice date on Thursday.