Local MP Hosts Public Meeting About Safety Concerns On Thamesdown Drive

Justin Tomlinson MP hosted a public meeting last Friday where he brought together Swindon & Wiltshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Angus McPherson, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Dale Heenan and Superintendent Charlie Armstrong; to face questions from members of the public who have grown increasingly impatient at the dangerous driving on Thamesdown Drive.

57 local residents attended the event held at Justin’s new constituency office located on the Orbital Shopping Park.

Coun Dale Heenan, Cabinet Member for Highways, told residents that around £180,000 made up of contributions from developers was available for measures to be introduced and that he was not opposed to that money going on cameras.

However he stressed that such measures would only work alongside a renewed road safety partnership between the council and the police. He added that he was confident that with the necessary cooperation, some form of plan for the use of the available funds could be in front of the Cabinet within months.

Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson said he would welcome an approach from the council to tackle the problem and agreed to a meeting in the next two months.

Nick Brown, of Groundwell West, said: “I’ve had that many near misses along this road that I’ve had to install cameras, front facing and rear facing, in my car. I have seen three incidents of red light jumping on his short journey to the meeting alone.”

Fellow local resident, Michelle Howard, said: “I’ve been a wheelchair user for 30 years and I don’t get scared very easily. But I take my life in my hands every day when I cross that road.”

Another resident added: “I won’t let my 11-year-old daughter cross when the lights are red because I see too many young people, on mobile phones, ignoring them.”

Justin Tomlinson MP said: “Going forward I want to see a real joined up approach between the Borough Council and the Police to finally get this issue solved. The meeting was productive; the police have now said they will consider videos submitted by residents as evidence which they didn’t do before, and it was agreed that a camera partnership between the Police and SBC would be explored. I will continue to update residents as both sides have their meetings.”