Adver to Tories : It's Bin Fun, But Take Out Your Own Trash

It would appear that the Swindon Advertiser has fallen out of love with the Swindon Conservatives. What was the straw that broke the camel's back? That most contentious of local stories, wheelie bins.

Coverage and comment was gathered from Councillor Derique Montaut (who a recent front page story headline seemed to be aimed at regarding critics of the wi-fi) to fellow Swindon Conservatives own Councillor Fionuala Foley (who was Council Deputy Leader, but stepped down), that spending the £30,000 to audit waste in dustcarts was a waste of money.

Swindon Centric Says ; A tip-of-the-hat to Charley Morgan for breaking the Adver's duck on critical coverage on Swindon Borough Council. As Chris Watts at Talk Swindon has said, the Pravda name applied to the paper may have just slipped after the response to the coverage by the Advertiser at the latest Cabinet Meeting.

Is the Grass Greener On the Forward Swindon Side?

A very welcomed comment in Karen Walker's (Chief Executive of the rebranded town regeneration agency, Forward Swindon) presentation to a Swindon Borough Council scrutiny meeting is the proposal to remove the white hoardings around vacant land and grassing over them for public use.

This idea was mentioned last year, but nothing came of it.

Swindon Centric Says ; A very small amount of money grassing over the empty plots of land in town would be a huge boost to just making the town centre look better. This could be done in a matter of weeks, this really is something that is so simple, there's no reason for it to not happen.

Bus Cuts & Improvements

Today marks changes for several bus routes around Swindon, with Thamesdown's effected the most by subsidy cuts by Swindon Borough Council. The company has made great efforts to merge routes to lessen the difficulty for passengers.

One quiet and welcomed change is that from today also, Stagecoach in Swindon have returned their number 8 service to a half-hour frequency, according to notices on bus stops, due to 'customer feedback'.

Swindon Centric Says ; If services you use have been effected, please comment on how the changes have impacted on you, good or bad, after a couple of weeks, as, for Stagecoach passengers, it can have an effect.

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 161

Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. I suspect he's really an arse.

9. Those reports need to be finished in the next 2 hours.

8. I guess he'll take the money out of petty cash and replace it with a mouldy banana.

7. This seat doesn't give you as good a view.

6. Tropical storm Clive is now approaching Broome Manor.

5. Not there, there.

4. I got you a timetable, under the cucumber.

3. Even Sarah wouldn't eat it, so it must have been bad.

2. We need to move forward on this.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. We walked up it, cos I don't know when we'll be back, and who knows what'll happen in the future.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 160

Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. This is the end for all who use iPhones.

9. It was nearly four pounds, just for that.

8. There's litter everywhere, what is this, Gotham City?

7. Slow down, so who's Jacob and why can't she just choose one?

6. The label says I'm fully edible.

5. The last one you can catch before they swap over, 3 minutes.

4. I expect them to ask for more help once the next quarter begins.

3. Her she comes, looking like she gives a damn.

2. The money saved can be invested wisely, in shoes.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. She doesn't want to disgrace herself before term starts.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 159

Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. Go make what you like.

9. There's no audience for it.

8. Who's stupid idea are we embarked on now?

7. I burnt my hand for the sake of love.

6. It's a very difficult thing to tag.

5. They made me weep, I weep at everything though.

4. This seat is for people with fat bottoms.

3. It tis rather widgety.

2. I demand calm, poise and reserve the right to scream at any time.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. Fish fingers or chicken wings, can I just eat the box they come in?

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Thamesdown 1, Council 0 In Bus Changes

Thamesdown Transport have released the details of the service changes to happen from the 25th of July after the cutting and withdrawing of funding by house builders and Swindon Borough Council.

A hero and a villain have clearly emerged from this news, through the combination of their respective actions and words.

Thamesdown Transport have pulled out the best of a bad bunch, with no total withdrawal of routes but merging and lengthening of those lacking subsidy plus frequency cuts.

Swindon Borough Council's clear favouritism for people to drive into the town centre was made public with the recent cut in town centre car parking charges, but has now been cemented by the comments made in the Swindon Advertiser story on the bus service cuts. In reference to the concessionary fare scheme for OAPs, this was said, "Swindon Council now has to spend between £300,000 and £400,000 a year to meet the cost of the scheme, which is money that could otherwise be used to fund other transport services."

Swindon Centric Says ; Is the £100,000 now not being given to Thamesdown Transport (among other operators) now to be used to prop-up the car-park charges cuts? The Council will happily cut those charges, but will not lobby to counteract the underfunding it admits it has suffered under the concessionary fares scheme.

This Council favours car drivers over bus passengers and this is now abundantly clear. We need to be thankful for Thamesdown Transport, which, ironically is a wholly-owned Swindon Borough Council company, but has shown in it's response to the cuts has far more local knowledge, consideration and care for it's passengers than the Council.

There is a large space of clear (Thamesdown-liveried) blue water between Thamesdown and Swindon Borough Council. Would that it were the same for other council-invested companies...

The Living Wall : Soon To Germinate?

Swindon Centric has an update on the Living Wall (posted about back in May) that was planned as part of the Canal Walk redevelopment.

After a tip-off, administration behind the scenes is currently being concluded and then work can start.

Swindon Centric Says ; Thank you G for the tip-off on this growing story. Groan.... apologies... puns like that should be buried... and sorry again.

All Quiet on the Forward Swindon Front

The rebranding of the New Swindon Company into Forward Swindon has also seen other changes with a new chief executive, who seems a tad shy of local media (well, the Swindon Advertiser, who seems sore that she didn't return their phone calls), but some interesting information can be gleaned from her coverage in the Financial Times.

The FT article and that of the Swindon Advertiser mainly just talks about the tax break and marketing opportunities that Forward Swindon plan to make of Swindon. Not much talk about bricks and mortar rebuilding work.

Swindon Centric Says ; As Komadori has pointed out, the effectiveness of this new appointment is questionable, given previous experience. Then again, quangos are pretty unanswerable to anyone, but surely the best hope for an organisation charged with helping to rebuild the town centre is to staff it with architects, town planners and local stakeholders who actually have local knowledge, use the town centre and know what's needed to make it functional, relevant and attractive.

If this piece of news (specifically the comment under the story) is to be believed, everyone's favourite wi-fi businessman may soon have a hand in the town centre regeneration. Then again, since the loan to Digital City started to roll after being signed off on a note earmarking the money for small business/town centre regeneration , thank god for the small mercy that the town centre is due to be the second place to get the wi-fi. After Highworth, which still isn't finished...

Top Ten Things Heard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 158

Click here for the original and still the best at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. 15 buns for you and none for me.

9. Head across the pond.

8. He remained unmoved.

7. We'll have to wait and see what floats to the surface.

6. Bikers demand far more respect.

5. The University of Pompous Arses.

4. You should design yourself a way out of that hole you've dug.

3. Jacket potatoes, god I love them!

2. It's frightening, put it away.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. A fresh pot of tea and a slice of cake for your pain.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.