Drakes Way underpass floodwater freezes amid sub-zero temperatures

Lisa Janson, 38, from Old Town, is a yoga teacher and owner of Wild & Whimsical Yoga, and regularly uses the route to get to and from work.

She was shocked by what she saw when attempting to use it at around 2.50pm, Tuesday afternoon. 

She took some photos of the glaciated subway and posted them on the Swindon Community Notice Board to warn others not to try. 

"I first noticed the dangerous state of the cycle path when I was intending to use it earlier in the day to get to my year 4 group yoga class," she said. 

"I thought it would be useful for other cyclists to know that the route was impassable."

"I managed to scramble up the bank into a gap in the hedgerow which was very slippery so that I wasn't late for work. I arrived at the school quite muddy much to the delight of my students."

Another angle of the Drakes Way subway, Swindon, showing how deep the frozen over water is (Image: Lisa Janson)

Swindon Borough Council had recently invested in renovating the underpass, painting it white, and installing new lights, as well as commissioning a muralist to decorate the area with a floral painting.

But this left many locals baffled because they felt that fixing the flooding should've been the main priority. 

Read More: Drakes Way subway: Council commissions artist to paint flooded subway

Lisa has echoed these sentiments, adding that the council isn't doing anything to make it easier for people to use green transport, like cycling. 

"I feel disappointed that our council seems reluctant to make Swindon safe for cyclists. We all need to reduce our emissions, but without adequate support from our council, it's no wonder people are discouraged from leaving their cars at home.

"I want to live in a town where the people in charge make decisions based on what's best for us all. Recognising we're part of a bigger whole and prioritising clean, safe, environmentally sustainable commuting options for us all.

"This is just another example that we have a very long way to go."

Councillor Kevin Parry, cabinet member for waste collection and disposal and highways maintenance, recently explained that the council thought the problem was fixed which is why they went ahead with much-needed renovation work. 

He added that Thames Water was investigating, which the water company also confirmed.

“We’ll continue to work with our local partners to help resolve this," it said.