Key cycle route reopens

Cyclists and pedestrians can now use a key cycle route which links North Swindon with Rodbourne after it was reopened following Thames Water’s £16m upgrade of its sewage network.  NCN route 45 was closed from September 2023 but reopened on 13th November 2024.

The water company has replaced around 3km of pipe which stretches from a pumping station in Taw Hill to its sewage treatment works at Barnfield underneath the existing cycle path. The work was carried out because the old pipe burst on a number of occasions causing sewage leaks in the Taw Hill area.

The cycle route, also known as National Cycle Network Route 45, has been reinstated so it is in a better condition for both cyclists and pedestrians, and is free from potholes. It has been widened in many places, while foliage has been cut back.

Meanwhile, the Council also plans to carry out feasibility work to improve the route even further linking Westmead to Thamesdown Drive and Tadpole Garden Village.