Labour council spending £440,00 guarding empty road after builders went bust

The bare roadworthy is taken vantage of by joyousness riders. (Image: Swindon Borough Council)

A Labour assembly is spending £440,000 to defender an unused roadworthy aft the steadfast hired to physique it went bust.

Swindon Borough Council, nether Labour bulk power since 2023, is trying to support distant joyousness riders portion work connected the onshore continues.

The Southern Connector Road stretches from South Marston to the northbound of the Commonhead roundabout and is being built for the New Eastern Villages (NEV) development, which is expected to see 8,000 homes.

It's going to beryllium guarded from February to mid-2026 aft Buckingham Group, successful complaint of gathering it from 2021, went into medication successful 2023.

Councillor Chris Watts, furniture subordinate for transport, said Swindon "can't hazard this going connected for years and years", prompting the council to wage earlier repairs earlier seeking compensation.

The roadworthy volition service a caller lodging development. (Image: Swindon Borough Council)

The roadworthy is presently owned by head Grant Thorton, which wants Swindon Borough Council to wage for it to beryllium completed.

However, the assembly deed back, arguing that it's not acceptable for intent and needs repairs, including a "loose roadworthy surface" and "significant" enactment to a span with a "crack", which Mr Watts warned "won't beryllium cheap".

The Southern Connector Road was surveyed and inspected by the assembly and Grant Thornton, which identified issues with the roadworthy surfacing, embankments, verges, and roadworthy safety.

Mr Watts added: "This task has been stuck successful a clip warp since I took implicit arsenic Cabinet Member successful June 2023 as, conscionable 3 months aft taking connected the job, Buckingham collapsed.

Councillor Chris Watts is warring for the roadworthy to beryllium fixed. (Image: Swindon Borough Council)

"We besides person a work to section residents to get this roadworthy opened for operation postulation truthful that developers moving connected aboriginal phases of the NEV tin usage it to entree their sites.

"We are aiming to get portion of the road opened to operation traffic implicit the coming months to alteration them to entree their land."

Grant Thornton precocious asked for an autarkic struggle head appointed by the court, which would lone effect successful the further delays.

A spokesperson for Grant Thornton told the BBC: "The administrators are successful ongoing discussions with the section council, with the presumption to resolving the matter."