OVER the coming decade Swindon is set to rapidly expand, with around 22,000 homes to be built if the Local Plan gets given the go ahead.

This is likely to put an extra burden on the already busy and aging road network, with the ward of Rodbourne Cheney likely to be among the hardest hit.

Already residents have to cope with congested roads and when the Tadpole Farm and Ridgeway developments are built this is only set to worsen.

Richard Kimber, the acting chairman of the Rodbourne Cheney Residents’ Association, wants any new councillor to push for extensions to the road network, such as a link road from Thamesdown Drive to the Barnfield Roundabout.

He said: “I am a van driver so I know how busy the roads can get and during rush hour they are choc-a-block.

“On one occasion it took me almost an hour to travel a mile.

“This was a while ago so it has probably got worse now. I don’t know how the roads are going to cope with all the new housing. Something will need to be done otherwise Rodbourne will just grind to a halt when it is busy.

“At the minute most of the traffic from the north has to come through Moredon and down towards Rodbourne. If the link road is built it would solve a lot of problems so I’d like to see the council push for that.

“There is a lot of inconsiderate parking in Rodbourne with people parking on double yellow lines so I think a lot of people would like to see something done about that as it only adds to the problems we have on the roads.”

Away from the roads there are issues which Richard would like a new councillor to work on solving.

He said: “A lot of people comment that we don’t have too much visible policing and that is because we are down to one PCSO for the area.

“I know it is not strictly a council matter but if the new councillor could work to increase the number of officers on the beat then I think it would greatly appreciated.

“The changes to the bus services have also caused a lot of problems for some people especially the elderly. For example, Beech Avenue does not have a bus service. We would like the council to push to have them reinstated.”

At the 2012 elections all three seats were won by Labour candidates by strong margins.

RODBOURNE CHENEY CANDIDATES:
Simon FAIRBOURN (Green Party)
Di RODGERS (Conservative)
Peter THOMPSON-WATT (UK Independence Party)
Peter WATTS (Labour)
Turnout in 2012 election: 30 per cent (8919)

  • For full details visit our candidates section here