Page 7 - link magazine

The virtual Link Magazine now online @ www.swindonlink.com 5

Junction closure plan blocked by Redhouse opinion
Public meetings are often marked by a lot of grumbling, resulting in much acrimony. Unusually on 4
December, 350 Redhouse residents were able to cheer and clap at the beginning of a meeting when
councillor Justin Tomlinson announced that Junction 6A on Thamesdown Drive would not close.
After the November
Link first revealed that the
road was due to close at
the end of the year, hun-
dreds of angry letters and
e-mails crashed into the in-
boxes of ward councillors
Justin Tomlinson, Peter
Stoddart and Owen Lister.
Several residents took it
upon themselves to copy
and distribute The Link
story to raise awareness of Redhouse crowd behind the victory smiles of councillors Owen Lister,
what might happen. Justin Tomlinson, Peter Stoddart www.edge-imaging.com/mybigday
The outline plan agreed
between the North Swindon De- Coun Tomlinson told the meet-
velopment Company and Swin- ing that he had received nearly 200
don Council in the late 1990s des- e-mails and many offers of help to
ignated the junction as a bus only campaign against the closure.
route. It has been kept open to all “This weight of opinion gave the
traffic to allow access to construc- three ward councillors a great deal
tion sites. But with the growing of ammunition to argue against
numbers of vehicles accessing Red- closure and I’m pleased to say that
house from the junction, highway the borough council planners have
planners were increasingly wor- agreed that the original plan will
ried that the short queuing lane not be implemented.
was creating a hazard on “Steps are being taken to alter
Thamesdown Drive as vehicles the legal terms so that there are no
were waiting to turn right in the anomalies in legal searches on fu-
main carriageway. ture house purchases.
But in the last five years people “Consultants have been engaged
have bought the houses and very to investigate how Junction 6A can
few were told by sales staff that be kept open safely, and make rec-
their main point of access would ommendations for road improve-
eventually close. If it had - along ments if necessary.” www.cannonmortgages.co.uk
with the closure of Lady Lane - all He thanked Redhouse residents
traffic to 1,200 homes on the east for expressing themselves so force-
side of Redhouse would have had fully, Blunsdon Parish Council
to travel from Junction 7 along East- which agreed the road should stay
bury Way, including anybody go- open and The Link for drawing eve-
ing to and from Bridlewood Pri- rybody’s attention to the issue in
mary School. the first place.
Because the Junction 6A issue was dealt with so quickly there was
time for other Priory Vale issues to be raised at the meeting:
Planning densities and traffic congestion. Councillor Tomlinson said
that Priory Vale has been developed using Central Government plan-
ning guidance which has raised housing density and reduced the
number of car parking spaces. He said it was intensely frustrating that
housing developers can submit planning applications with the backing
of these guidelines and local councillors have few powers to modify or
block them. See developer guideline story on page 6.
Condition of estate roads. Residents want them completed earlier, but
were told developers will not do this until all house building is completed
so that finishing work can be undertaken before handing over to the
borough council for future maintenance.
Lady Lane closure. This was agreed in 2003 and Ash Brake residents
have been pressing for the road to be shut by the roundabout at Pennine
Way. Councillors Tomlinson and Stoddart agree that closing it will make
the walk to Bridlewood Primary safer. Coun Lister believes that parents
will be driving to the school from a wider area in a few years time and
wants it to stay open. The councillors promised further discussion on the
closure
Complaints about Thamesdown Transport. Because there are too
few car parking spaces in Redhouse, owners are parking on the main
bus routes which can cause traffic jams. Occasionally this results in
standoffs between residents and bus drivers. The councillors requested
specific information on dates, times and bus numbers if residents want
to raises concerns about conflicts and road rage.
Redhouse Way crossing. A pedestrian crossing was called for close
to the Learning Campus and councillors are investigating this.
www.bridal-shows.co.uk

1 January 07 5 14/12/06, 4:03 pm