The Swindon Borough Council is set to pay a contractor £440,000 to provide round-the-clock guarding for the Southern Connector Road, which extends from South Marston to just north of the Commonhead Roundabout, over the next 15 months. The road, constructed to serve the future 8,000 houses in the New Eastern Villages expansion program, is currently completed but remains unused.
The decision to guard the road aims to prevent unauthorized use, such as illegal racing or encampments, and will also facilitate essential repairs to the road. The contractor responsible for its construction, Buckingham Group, has gone into administration, leading to a legal dispute between the company’s administrator, Grant Thornton, and the council.
The council has announced its intention to fund the necessary repairs directly, with the hope of recovering the costs from the administrator at a later date. The repairs are essential due to identified faults, including issues with pipework support, road surface, footpath edge, land subsidence, and bridge movement.
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Councillor Chris Watts, the cabinet member for transport and the environment, emphasized the council’s responsibility to open the road promptly, ensure support for housing construction, and address concerns of affected residents.
Despite the ongoing dispute, the council is gearing up for the repair works, anticipating that the costs will be substantial. Specialist consultants will assess the specific repairs required, with the council aiming to commence and potentially conclude the works by the end of the year.