Transport Secretary Chris Grayling visited Swindon on Friday to look at the impact of record levels of investment in local roads and railway and to see what more can be done.
Leader of the Conservative-run Council, David Renard showed Mr Grayling how access to Swindon is being improved by £10m funding, for which Government is providing some of the funding, to transform Junction 16 on the M4.
While in Stratton, Conservative Councillors took the opportunity to lobby the Transport Secretary for further funding to improve the White Hart junction of the A419/A420 and to tackle congestion at the single carriageway A420 that links Swindon to Oxford in a bid to support new housing and boost the economy.
They also made the case to the Minister to invest in a western access rail link that joins Swindon to Heathrow and for cheaper fares to London as part of the review of the Great Western franchise, and to consider funding for the Thamesdown Drive extension.
Chris Grayling said: “It was an excellent chance to see how our record levels of funding are helping ease congestion, support housing and boost the economy in Swindon.
The Conservative team showed me what’s been achieved and I have assured them that, as Transport Secretary, we are delivering the infrastructure to make the country fit for the future with nearly £48bn invested in rail.
“We’re working together to deliver long term decisions that will help maximise the potential of our country where successful businesses can flourish.”
Councillor Renard said: “With electrification and new trains, Swindon, the heart of Brunel’s railway, is already seeing the benefits of the UK’s largest investment programme since the Victorian era, which the Conservative government has overseen.”
Councillor Mary Martin, the Cabinet Member responsible for highways, commented: “Alongside this, in partnership with the Swindon and Wiltshire LEP and Highways England, we are spending £10m to improve access to Swindon at Junction 16 and with more government funding, we have allocated £4m to the Mead Way corridor to help traffic into Swindon.”
Councillor Renard said: “As our transport links continue to improve, Swindon has a great role to play in the country’s economic future.
“Part of that means being allied to England’s Economic Heartland and I made the case to the Secretary of State that we need to improve road and rail links from Swindon to Oxford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge and Norwich.”
