Page 13 - link magazine

Thamesdown Drive Extension
moves one step closer

Cars back up on Thamesdown Drive during rush hour

The proposal for the extension is looking at every possible way
of Thamesdown Drive to Great to fund it, and has submitted it as
Western Way will be going before a priority for the Local Enterprise
the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Partnership. There remains a lot to
Economic Partnership (LEP) this do but I am hopeful of good news in
month. the coming months.”
Dale Heenan, cabinet member for Once it has gone through LEP
Sustainability and Transport, said: the proposal will be submitted to
“The work on an outline business Central Government. South Swindon
case for the Thamesdown Drive MP Robert Buckland said: “I am
extension and improvements to glad that further preparatory work
surrounding roads like Akers Way has now been completed by the
and Mead Way is nearly finished. Council’s highways consultants
We have made slow but steady and am working closely with cllrs
progress to crack this 20 year Renard and Heenan in order to
problem for Swindon. make further progress and will be
“Earlier this week, Robert working with the Department of
Buckland MP, cllr David Renard and Transport as well. The extension
I met with a transport minister to is already listed within the LEP’s
put forward our case and it was as future plans and so I urge everyone
positive as it could be. The council to get fully behind this project and
is taking this road seriously and give it the priority that it deserves.”
Fire station marks 25 years Are you looking to make

The expansion of Swindon to the positive changes in your life?
west and eventually to the north
meant that Wiltshire Fire & Rescue I can offer you a safe, confidential, non-judgemental space where you
needed a new station to locate fire can:
appliances to be able to respond
quickly. • gain a deeper understanding of yourself and be able to cope with
Andy Collins, or Tonto, as he’s everyday situations
known in the fire service, is the last • make sense of relationships and situations
of the original staff still based in the • manage feelings of stress, depression, anxiety, anger or confusion
West Swindon station. He became a
firefighter in January 1990 when it Elaine Watt Focused Counselling
was being built. At the time crews Andy Collins at Westlea BACP accredited counsellor
serving the west were based in Call 07919 343407
the town centre and at night the hadn’t changed a great deal and to make an appointment for a no fee consultation
appliance was parked in the mobile Westlea still retains a close family www.focusedcounselling.com
library bay at Link Centre. Westlea knit atmosphere. The firefighters are
station, off Mead Way, officially on-call at home during night shifts
opened in September that year. so all live closeby to enable quick
After 25 years Andy said the response. Are you looking for an
nature of fighting fires had changed. “Road traffic accidents are also
“Back then many fires were caused different now,” said Andy. “Cars are Eye Test at Home?
by people smoking at home. There more safely designed with airbags
are fewer house fires but they can and crumple zones. The materials
be more intense because of double are a lot tougher which is good, Do you have difficulties getting to your
glazing and timber framed construc- but our tools can struggle to cut local optician? Then why not let us visit
tion. It also means there is greater through them. you at home for your eye test?
danger of structural collapse, “And as a reflection of modern • Free NHS test FREE *
especially if householders have times, Westlea is the base for the • NHS vouchers accepted
made changes or drilled holes. Wiltshire IRU, or Instant Response • Flexible appointments Eye Test
The fire safety regulation integrity Unit, ready for emergencies such as
when a building was put up can terrorist attacks. It means the kind *Call us or visit website for further details
be compromised if oxygen can be of training we do has changed a lot
sucked into wall cavities.” so we’re ready if there is a major www.visionvisit.co.uk 01793 232 588
Andy said station operations incident.”
swindonlink.com n November 2015 13