Moonrakers junction due to receive £2.8m upgrade

Swindon Borough Council has secured £2.8m worth of external funding to improve the Moonrakers junction in Stratton.

The work will be funded by the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) Local Growth Fund as part of a scheme of work to improve bus reliability and facilities between North Swindon and the town centre.

The improvement work will also carry benefits for road users who can expect to see more reliable, shorter journey times and reduced queuing. Pedestrians will find the new junction easier with pedestrian crossings being added to the junction.

At present the junction is made up of a double roundabout. The scheme will see the roundabouts replaced and, in their place, a four-way crossroads with traffic lights will be installed. Additional approach lanes will also be added.

Industry-standard traffic modelling has shown that the new layout will provide improved journey times during peak traffic when compared to the current layout and will make journey times more consistent. A number of designs were tested and, due to site constraints, the new layout was selected as it provides the best outcome for all road users.

An automatic signal controller will count the number of vehicles approaching the traffic lights and prioritise lanes with high volumes of traffic flow to help reduce queuing. Pedestrian crossings will now also synchronise with the junction, avoiding issues caused by the current crossing on Cricklade Road outside the shops.

As part of the scheme, a dedicated left turn from Cricklade Road to Beechcroft Road will be introduced for road users approaching from the north. The idea was put forward by a member of the public during the consultation in 2018.

Further changes include repositioning the traffic island at the Headlands Grove junction to reduce the speed of southbound vehicles, as well as the creation of a new bus lane from Chestnut Avenue to the Moonrakers junction, which cyclists will be allowed to use.

The work is due to start this summer with an expected completion date of spring 2021.

A temporary overnight closure of Moonrakers junction may be required at the start of the scheme to remove the existing roundabouts and mark out the new layout with cones. During the course of the work, the junction will operate with temporary traffic lights and will be open to all traffic.

The work will take place within the coned-off area and will have a minimal impact on road users.

For a duration of the summer holidays the eastern end of Whitworth Road, near the Moonrakers pub, will be closed to help reduce the timescale of the project and the cost. The timing of this closure has been chosen in order to cause minimal disruption to motorists.

Councillor Maureen Penny, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment, said: “Since the initial consultation in 2018, the team has been working hard to make changes to the proposal in line with residents’ feedback.

“We now believe that the improvements scheduled for the junction are the most effective they can be given the amount of space we have to contend with.

“The improvements will help to relieve congestion during peak times and will offer considerable benefits, including better pedestrian crossings and a clearer road layout.”

John Mortimer, SLWEP Chair, said: “Improvements to the Moonrakers Junction form just one part of a £9m investment by Swindon and Wiltshire LEP to ease congestion and improve journey times between Tadpole Garden Village, North Swindon and the town centre, improving road safety and helping us deliver housing and economic growth targets for the town.”

The Council is holding a drop-in session today (12 March) at Pinetrees Community Centre from 3pm to 7pm for residents who would like to find out more information about the scheme.

Residents can stay up to date with the progress of the scheme by signing up to the monthly Moonrakers newsletter: www.swindon.gov.uk/newsletter