Campaigners who live on a major route into the centre of Swindon are not happy at the borough council’s response to their pleas.

When the authority announced it would be doing significant work on Oxford Road – particularly widening the road at the Nythe Road junction – neighbours began a campaign to oppose the plans.

Last month Stratton Against Road Changes (StARC) handed in a petition signed by more than 350 people asking Swindon Borough Council to abandon the idea – saying it would add to congestion and slow-moving traffic on the road, increasing pollution and annoyance to people who live there.

Cabinet member for strategic planning Gary Sumner then told his Conservative colleagues the work would still go ahead but with some changes. The shared pedestrian and cycle path will be made narrower to retain more grass verge, sensors will be used at the junction of Oxford Road and Sandgate to make it easier for traffic from the side road and more trees were added to the plans.

But StARC members Barry Jennings and Ron Fox told the cabinet they were not impressed.

Mr Jennings, who is a Labour member of Stratton St Margaret Parish Council, said: “Does the cabinet member think this is in any way an adequate response to a request to stop the work made by 364 people?”

The work is planned to allow increased traffic generated by the New Eastern Villages expansion to use the road into the town centre. It will be dualled at the junction with Nythe Road to try and prevent hold-ups with cars trying to turn left or right.

Mr Jennings said: “It’s not going to work – people won’t go into a subsidiary lane if they know they have to move back into the main one.

“We will see heavy goods vehicles queuing as they head towards Swindon, increasing pollution.

"Just putting up a few more trees is totally inadequate.”

He suggested traffic heading to the town centre from the White hart Roundabout could be routed through Covingham.

He said: “The roads there were built with space in which to expand as traffic grew. Why don’t you use those roads?

"That option hasn’t been explored at all.”

Coun Sumner said: “It would not make much sense to take traffic heading to Swindon from Oxford, which can see Swindon ahead of it, away and in a long loop into town.

“This road has been carefully designed to improve waiting times and therefore air quality.”

Council deputy leader Russell Holland, who is a ward councillor for Stratton, said: “I understand when people find change difficult, but this is an important part of a major development.”