Problem with canal's return (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Problem with canal's return

OH dear, I see we are in the annual silly season for media stories.

With regard to the Advertiser's story on the possibility of routing the Wilts and Berks Canal through Swindon, I would like to make the following comments.

1. The route in town is quoted as going along the old route to Milton Road and then down Farnsby Street to Faringdon Road and along Fleet Street.

Mr Oliver is quoted as saying that no buildings would have to be demolished.

He conveniently forgets that Farnsby Street is the main road from Faringdon Road to Commercial Road.

While traffic could be diverted to two way in Milton Road, it would mean that the commercial buildings, including two major car parks and the commercial delivery ramp for the main shopping centre, will not be accessible from Farnsby Street.

The route is then proposed to turn right and go along Faringdon Road and Fleet Street.

This section of Faringdon Road is the main through route from Fleming Way and could only be circumvented by re-routing this traffic through the Railway Village, an area which cannot take such a large increase of traffic.

The Fleet Street section has not been pedestrianised and putting a canal along it would destroy the open area.

The article doesn't say where the canal would go from there.

It cannot follow the old route which ran along Fleming Way through the Magic Roundabout and then turned left at the ambulance station.

From here it headed towards Greenbridge.

This route is blocked by industrial estates at Greenbridge and beyond that by housing estates.

2. If the proposed canal is only to go as far as Fleet Street, there is a Health and Safety aspect in that the council has decreed that most of the pubs and bars in central Swindon are located there.

A canal ending there could become stagnant and degrade the area.

Also, has anyone thought about the large numbers of drunken customers from these establishments coming out in close proximity of the canal?

There has to be the possibility of people falling into the water, with dire results.

The people who are in favour of canals, including myself, should think twice before putting such proposals forward.

3. With regard to cost, surely the financial cost of building it through the town is not just the material cost of building it but also the financial effect on the commercial and council profits and losses which ensue?

P M CREW

Swindon