Council steps in following collapse of contractor

A brand-new road which will provide a link between 8,000 homes in Swindon will still open despite the collapse of the firm which was building it.

Buckingham Group called in administrators Grant Thornton last month shortly after completing the new Southern Connector Road for Swindon Borough Council.

However, despite building the road, the company was unable to complete the necessary safety and technical checks in line with the contract for the scheme before its collapse.

This includes remedial works and other adjustments needed before the road can be opened to the public.

The council is currently in discussions with the administrators to ensure all legal aspects of the contract are finalised and that the road meets the required standards before it is opened to the public.

Over the next few months, the council will carry out its own technical checks to ensure the road meets the necessary nationally recognised standards and will continue to meet the needs of the local community for decades to come.

Further adjustments at the southern end of the road near the junction with Pack Hill also need to be carried out, including further signage and additional works to the embankments.

The work is due to start before the end of the year and disruption to local traffic will be kept to a minimum while the works are carried out.

Work to protect the archaeology, ecology and natural landscape around the Southern Connector Road will also continue as planned, including the planting of additional trees in the area.

The council is working as quickly as possible to get the new road opened.

Earlier this month, Pack Hill, Wanborough Road, and access to The Marsh were all opened up to traffic to benefit local residents and motorists.

Councillor Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for the environment and transport, said: “The collapse of Buckingham came completely out of the blue and meant we were not able to open the road as quickly as we would have liked.

“Fortunately for the Council, and local taxpayers, the new road had been built so we were not left with an unfinished road and many of the issues that would have come with it.

“However, with no contractor in place, we now have to complete a lot of quality assurance to make sure the road is fit for purpose. This may involve remedial works and we know we already have to carry out work to the embankments near Pack Hill. There will also be lots of tree planting and ecology work that still needs to take place.

“The good news is that we have recently been able to reopen The Marsh, which will hopefully help local residents and businesses, and we will be working as hard as we can to get the new road open as soon as we can.”