Thames Water starts Swindon pipe replacement at Hayden End

Thames Water has previously carried out smaller repairs

A £16m project to replace thousands of metres of pipework, in a bid to solve Swindon's reoccurring burst pipe problem, has started.

Thames Water is replacing the full-length of the 3km Haydon End Rising Main to prevent future bursts.

In the past two years, the pipe has burst several times with raw sewage flowing into the River Ray.

It is expected to take around a year to complete and will involve closing a cycleway within the area of the works.

Haydon End sewage pumping station and Rising Main were built in 1995-96 to transfer sewage to the inlet works at the western end of Swindon sewage treatment works.

The area and population the pipe serves have grown significantly in the years since, the water company said.

The water company deployed 30 tankers to pump sewage away following the leak in Swindon after a burst in March

The most recent burst occurred in March with Thames Water deploying 30 tankers to pump sewage away from the area.

The sewer also previously burst in April 2021, August 2022 and again in November 2022.

Head of waste treatment for the Thames Valley region, Andrew Scott, said: "We recognise the disruption recent bursts from this pipe have caused and the impact it has had on customers.

"That's why we brought forward our plans to start this £16m project now so we can ensure our network in the area is resilient to the pressures of climate change and population growth and we can provide a reliable service to our customers."

The Environment Agency said 1,000 fish had died because of a leak in August 2022

The replaced main will follow a new route - going underneath an existing cycle path.

The cycle path, route 45, will be closed from mid-August with diversions put in place.Thames Water said it is working with Swindon Borough Council on improving the local cycle networks after the work is completed.Swindon Borough Council's cabinet member for the environment and transport, Chris Watts, said: "The sewage leaks in North Swindon have caused disruption to local wildlife and residents in Taw Hill so I'm really pleased Thames Water is making this significant investment in its infrastructure to benefit the town. 

"We know the closure will inconvenience people, but our Swindon Travel Choices team has worked hard to come up with some alternative routes and maps to help those that would normally use the route to navigate their way round it."The project will be located at multiple dig sites and is scheduled to be completed by July 2024.