Thousands of road repairs completed by Swindon Borough Council

Despite the Council facing an estimated £50m backlog in maintenance needs while operating with a modest £5.75m highways budget, more road and pathway repairs are set to be completed in Swindon this financial year than in 2024/25.

In an ideal world, the Council would have enough money and resources to fix all outstanding road repairs. However, the Council’s limited budget must cover funding repairs to those areas most at need. Despite this, since the start of the year, the Council has:

• Resurfaced 10 major roads and 10 minor roads (including Drakes Way and Croft Road)
• Retextured eight roads
• Patched 187 carriageways and 109 footpaths
• Fixed more than 8,000 potholes
• Relined more than 330 areas
• Repaired over 800 pieces of street furniture and kerbing

The Council has been able to expand its maintenance programme thanks to an additional £1.5m uplift from central government. The funding is being used to supplement Council programmes across road resurfacing, pothole repairs, road marking relining, street furniture replacements and general maintenance of structures such as bridges.

As part of efforts to improve the quality and longevity of road repairs, the Council has also introduced thermal patching. This technique uses heat to bond new material with the existing road surface, creating a more durable repair that is less likely to fail prematurely. It’s part of a wider strategy to move away from short-term fixes and ensure repairs last longer, reducing disruption and costs over time.

High-profile works completed so far include:

• Retexturing of Cockleberry, Kembrey and Elgin Drive roundabouts
• Patching and relining of Greenbridge roundabout
• Installation of a new pedestrian crossing at Drove Road
• Collaborative resurfacing works with Wales & West Utilities at Devizes Road to minimise future disruption

Work is also due to take place in October half-term (from 20 Oct) to repair a deteriorating footbridge in Abbey Meads.

Councillor Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, said: “Our Highways team and contractors have done a fantastic job so far this year. It’s encouraging to see that we’re on track to beat our figures from last year.

“But we know there is still a lot to do. With a £50m backlog and limited budget, we can’t fix everything overnight. I know residents want local roads to improve, and our work so far demonstrates our commitment to making every pound count while carrying out as many thorough and long-lasting repairs as possible.”

Residents can learn more about how the road repairs are prioritised via the dedicated page on the Council’s website.