Page 6 - link magazine

6 swindonlink.com • September 2011
Unlimited bus travel in Swindon for your
FamilyDayRider
Only £5 during school
holidays and at weekends
• All day bus travel within the Swindon urban area
• Valid on day of issue until last bus
• Covers up to 5 people (min 1 adult, max 2 adults)
• School holidays as defined by Swindon
Borough Council school calendar
Buy your DayRider tickets from the bus driver
– exact fare please!
Customer Helpline tel 01793 428428
www.thamesdownbus.com
1-22 September 11.indd 6 19/08/2011
Cycling from the West into town
to become a lot easier
12 September forum presentation will explain how
A £6 million grant from the government for SWIFT (Swindon Work-
place Initiative for Transport) is going to boost cycle use in the town,
and cyclists in West Swindon are going to benefit.
How the improvements will be routes across the West, the council
implemented will be outlined at the will be offering personalised travel
West Swindon Forum on Monday 12 planning to employees of the town
September, from 7pm. centre businesses. Money will also be
According to Swindon Council spent upgrading the Western Flyer
transport studies some 20 per cent cycling route into town with better
of town centre workers live in West signs and road crossing points.
Swindon. Some 2,500 people make The grant will also see improve-
the average 3.5 kilometre daily ments in the cycle and pedestrian
journey, half of them in cars. The routes from the south and east of
project aims to entice a significant Swindon, including the removal of
proportion onto bikes. barriers which make cycling across
Building on the recently com- the town difficult.
pleted West Swindon Local Ac- Transportation engineer and cy-
cessibility Action Plan to improve cling enthusiast Phil Martlew will
signage on walking and cycling talk about how the cycling project
will be developed.
Tarzan trail plan for Members of the West Swindon
Lydiard’s trees Neighbourhood Police Team will
also provide an update on their work
Jungle Parc UK has applied to add over the summer holiday period and
another attraction at Lydiard Park: review their target priorities.
100 tree platforms connected by The West Swindon Forum is a
walkways and zip slides on two meeting point between residents
courses, in the trees opposite the from across the three wards and
existing large play area, close to the eight councillors representing
the park’s playing fields and visitor the area. To have items added to
centre with its cafe. the agenda, mail Bernie Brannan:
A children’s course would be [email protected]
built at low level and an adult ad-
venture route through the canopy.
The planning application says Traffic light experiment
the development will not in any starts in September
way impact on the surrounding The approach roads to Mannington
environmental area and all trees Roundabout on Great Western Way
will be protected. have been resurfaced and new road
been held up by objections to a zip markings, signs and lighting have
However the application has
been installed.
slide across the avenue, spoiling
Although one of Swindon’s busi-
the view of Lydiard House.
Swindon Council planning of- est roundabouts, the traffic lights will
only be on at peak times. Drivers will
ficer Helen Cooper said further need to give way to traffic from the
discussions would take place
right when the lights are turned off.
with Jungle Parc and no date for
Traffic engineers will spend some
consideration by the committee weeks adjusting when the lights
had been set. Read the full story
operate. The experiment is pro-
at www.swindonlink.com grammed to last 12 months.
Bike path ride to mark 50th year since
closure of Marlborough railway line
A group of volunteers have started travelled between Swindon and
the Friends of the Railway Path to Marlborough. Cyclists should meet
look after the Swindon to Marl- at 10am by the Coate Water refresh-
borough railway path, the route ment kiosk in the car park for a
developed by Sustrans as part of ride to Marlborough, returning by
the National Cycle Network. about 3.30pm.
The path goes through Chisel- Chair of the Friends of the Railway
don and down the Og Valley to Path, Dick Millard, said “the railway
Marlborough, taking in a variety path is such a great way to get out of
of historic landscapes on its way. It town and onto the Downs. We hope
also gives access to The Ridgeway many will join us to help improve
and other paths to make enjoyable it for people, plants and wildlife, or
just to enjoy the fresh air.”
circular routes.
with a number of events on Sat- softhepath.org.uk or mail: dick.
Find out more at www.friend-
The group formally launches
urday 10 September to mark 50 [email protected]
years since the last passenger train • BHF bike ride, page 38
10:39