Residents praise Upham Road reconstruction works

Upham Road has undergone a major reconstruction this summer as part of Swindon Borough Council’s annual highway improvement programme.

The road, which was built around 60 years ago, has been given a new lease of life after benefitting from almost half a million pounds of investment, with the work being completed this week.

The project involved digging up the old concrete base in phases and repairing it or replacing it where necessary before relaying the Tarmac surface. The phases of the repairs allowed access to the schools, church and other facilities in the area to be maintained and reduced disruption.

Although the summer heatwave led to a slight delay with the project, due to newly poured concrete cracking in the soaring temperatures, residents have expressed their delight at the brand new road surface.

Paul Tuck, Upham Road resident, said: “We’re grateful that after a long process that it’s been acted on and we’ve had the road repaired.

“I’m on the corner of the road and the house used to vibrate a lot in the morning, we’d quite often hear the buses and it would go on all day. It was a real problem.

“The road in general is quieter, it’s funny, I said to my wife: ‘I don’t think I’ve heard a car on the road yet’ but it was open.

“There’s definitely an improvement. I hope that after all the hard work from Griffiths and money the Council put into it lasts. We’re very lucky to have had it done and I hope that as a community we can look after it.”

Local resident Mr Ashford said: “The buses go past now and I can’t feel it.

“It’s one hundred per cent better and I hope it stays that way.”

The Council’s contractor Alun Griffiths Ltd also provided additional support to residents with limited mobility, helping them with shopping, deliveries and other access while their homes were not accessible.

Robert Kordula, a resident of Parklands Road whose home was opposite the contractor’s compound, said: “Griffiths is a very professional company, the workmen were absolutely brilliant.

“If you had an issue they especially went out of their way to help and always asked how we were. From the day they arrived they’ve been absolutely brilliant – it’s a shame to see them go really.”

Councillor Maureen Penny, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and the Environment, said: “I am immensely pleased to see the final results of our work to improve Upham Road and future-proof it for years to come.

“I would also like to thank the residents for their patience while the work was carried out during the summer, especially to those who went out of their way to provide refreshments to the workmen during the heat.”