HEAVY goods vehicles, anti-social behaviour and youth facilities are among the issues the new candidates for the Covingham and Dorcan ward will have to tackle.

The new ward includes Covingham, Dorcan Industrial Estate and the vast majority of Liden, detaching Liden from its current partnership with Eldene.

In Covingham, Brian Osborne, chairman of Covingham Parish Council, which is non-party-political, said the biggest concern was the increase in lorries cutting through Merlin Way to the industrial estate.

He said: “We have got people saying now that their homes are actually vibrating. We would like to see a weight limit or something there to stop these lorries going down Merlin Way.

“They should be using Oxford Road but of course these guys are coming off the A419 with their sat navs and it’s telling them to turn left and they’re going down Merlin Way.”

He said two other priorities for new councillors should be to step-up enforcement on fog fouling and to reduce anti-social behaviour in Covingham.

He said: “A lot of residents fear anti-social behaviour from youngsters. We started to suffer a bit from it around our parks and it was late-night drinking from youngsters in the parks as well.

“With late-night drinkers, of course, the older generation are a bit worried when they take their dogs for a walk when there are groups of young people hanging about.”

In Liden, resident Shirley Ludford, who has lived in Tryon Close for 22 years, said she wanted the new councillors to fight for more activities for young people and for improved bus services.

Shirley, who is also the station manager at community radio station Swindon 105.5, said: “I would like to see how we could have more activities for young people. I am sure we could have more activities and opportunities for young people in the area.

“I know there have been some issues in recent times with young people and I think often it’s down to perception. If we can have a big range of activities to engage young people in an area like east Swindon, that would be a positive move.

“The bus services are generally good in the week but at evenings and weekends the bus services could be improved so young people could get to town and back.”