• Swindon & Wiltshire News
• Thursday August 10 2023
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Fleming Way subway to be demolished in Swindon town centre redevelopment

An underpass will be demolished next weekend as part of the £34 million redevelopment of Swindon’s town centre by infrastructure contractor Colas.

The subway links the town centre to the bus and railway stations. The underpass will be closed from Monday (August 14) and will then be removed filled to create a new ‘gateway’ between the transport terminals and The Parade shopping centre for visitors arriving in town by bus or train.

The work is part of the wider Fleming Way Bus Boulevard scheme, which will see Fleming Way completely transformed to accommodate all bus services in the town and will include a new public open space on the north side with a green central spine to increase biodiversity.

Colas will plant trees and bee-friendly plants which will introduce more greenery and biodiversity to the area. The new planting will not only increase the biodiversity in the town centre, but it will also have a function, forming part of the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems which will run down the centre of the carriageway.

The scheme will also feature much-improved pedestrian and cycle routes and the removal of the current Fleming Way underpass creating an attractive route from the train station into the town centre.

£25 million of funding was awarded by the government’s Future High Streets Fund. It is estimated that the overall project will help to increase land values in the area by an additional £34 million, making it significantly more attractive to investors.

The works are due to be completed by autumn 2025.

The Fleming Way subway before and after – image courtesy of Swindon Borough Council