Upcoming changes and situation with buses as well as concerns of vegetation and overgrowth as bus stops
It has been brought to our notice by residents and bus users in the Chiseldon area that many bus stops have become very overgrown.
A site meeting has taken place at Draycot Foliat to look at this problem, as a disabled passenger uses this stop on a regular basis. Work is planned to move the bus stop pole and flag and to cut back the vegetation at the bus stops on either side of the road. We are hoping that this work will be done in the next month.
The bus stop at the Hodson turning has also become overgrown and the parish contractor has been asked to do the work of cutting back the vegetation.
We were successful in getting a bus service whilst there was a road closure for three days at the end of August. This was achieved with help from Wroughton Parish Council and Alexandra Park Residents Association and was paid for by SBC.
Due to competition between the two bus companies in Swindon, the Service No3 has been taken off by Stagecoach and from 22nd October the R1 Thamesdown service will be withdrawn, owing to Stagecoach putting bus on every 10 minutes to Wootton Bassett.
Bus fares on Stagecoach West went up in price from 1st September. During peak hours, there is a new young person’s fare.
The first bus into Swindon on Saturday mornings, Service 81 at 07.50 is having very little usage. It was provided, at residents’ request, for people travelling onwards by train or National Express. Please use it, or it will be withdrawn.
There are major engineering works happening on the Great Western mainline between Swindon and Bristol Parkway and Swindon and Reading with work at present on the Chipping Sodbury tunnel, with overhead gantries for electric trains. Bristol Parkway Station is closed to extend the platforms to take longer trains. The Reading area will have a number of closures, as the London Crossrail will now come as far as Reading Station. GWR will be testing the overhead wires for their new electric trains.
Cllr David Hill Transport Representative – Chiseldon Parish Council