Re-routing buses could help Railway Village

Those of you that peruse these columns with any regularity, will be aware that I am probably not the number one fan of Swindon Borough Council. My understanding of consultation is very different from theirs.

For them, consultation seems to mean coming to a decision and then asking people if they liked that decision, (which proceeds whether or not people approve).

Often, if it's a contentious issue and especially if they can hide behind client or business confidentiality, they don't consult at all and information kind of ‘leaks out’.

I recall a recent consultation in which they asked if parents were in favour of allowing dogs to enter fenced off infant play areas and rather unsurprisingly, 96 per cent of the people surveyed said they did not think it was a good idea.

So anyway, like a breath of fresh air, suddenly the borough council is consulting on something over which the wider town and the railway village community can derive great benefit, well into the future.

This is a proposal to limit the number of buses which travel into Emlyn Square, then Bristol Street then Church Place, a route seemingly adopted by all buses travelling in even a remotely western direction.

These buses are often huge and rattle the foundations of both the ancient housing and the Mechanics Institute every time they inevitably hit the ever present potholes, and that’s before of course they face off against each other on the chicane that is Church Place.

The proposal is to reroute outgoing buses away from these residential streets onto Faringdon Road where traditionally they always ran.

You can make your opinion known by going to the Borough Council website, swindon.gov.uk, type in ‘Online Surveys’ in the white search box at the top, then look down for the ‘Railway Village Bus Route Survey’, click on that and scroll down to the orange box, click on that and ‘Begin’.

You have until November 4, but please don’t leave it until the last minute

It's a very simple and straightforward survey and a positive result should not only remove buses from most of Emlyn Square but will immeasurably improve living conditions of local residents and provide an opportunity to pave over the area between the Bakers Café, the Cricketers and the Institute building.

This can provide a brilliant space which could be adopted for eg regular car boot sales but further could accommodate a whole plethora of community uses, not just for the historic village, but for the wider township.

John Stooke

Haydon End

Havisham Drive

Play on again with six-hole course

What on earth is all the fuss about losing three holes on the nine hole course at Broome Manor in order to provide an exciting looking facility.

To all those up in arms about it - I have the perfect solution.

When you have played the six holes just carry on and play the first three again. You see, you still have a nine hole course. Simple, isn't it.

Now, let's have no more whingeing!

Chris Humphreys

Fuller Close

Kingsdown

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