Car crash casualties on the Blunsdon bypass are almost treble the number on the old road, new figures reveal.
Figures released by Wiltshire Police showed there had been four serious and nine slight injury collisions from October last year to September 2009 on the £65.5 million bypass.
No serious incidents and just five slight injury reports were recorded on the old road in Blunsdon between October 2007 and September last year.
In total 23 casualties, of which 13 were drivers, were involved in crashes on the new bypass over the last 12 months. This compares with just nine casualties on the previous year.
It comes after the Highways Agency and Swindon Council said additional road markings will be added to distinguish between lanes.
A directional sign in Thamesdown Drive will also help motorists navigate the junction more effectively. This is set to be put up shortly by the Highways Agency.
Andrew Howard, the head of road safety at the AA, said drivers should make sure they are aware of the new lay-out, but insisted it was encouraging road safety audits were being conducted.
He said: I think the important thing is that the scheme is being monitored and that action will be taken to put it right.
One of the strengths of British road safety is that these things get monitored, causes identified and remedial action taken.
The figures come out during Road Safety Week organised by the charity Brake which runs until Sunday.
It aims to prevent road crashes through education and campaigns while supporting people bereaved or seriously injured in road crashes.
Cathy Keeler, the deputy chief executive of Brake, said: In Road Safety Week Brake is working with families up and down the country to give all of us a small insight into the devastation caused by death and injury on our roads.
There are clearly problems on the new Swindon bypass, which the authorities have already identified.
Wed urge them to put safety measures in place as soon as possible, before anyone else is hurt.
Until then, drivers clearly need to be extra cautious when using this road.
Slowing down, taking extreme care when changing lanes and making sure you are not driving too close to the vehicle in front can all help you avoid a crash.
More information about the charity can be found by logging onto http://www.brake.org.uk/
Swindon Advertiser 26/11/09
Cllr Justin Tomlinson, "I am extremely frustrated by the actions of the Highways Agency. On one hand, I believe the by-pass has had a positive impact for local residents, with traffic flowing much more freely, especially at peak times. However, working with local residents I have been relentlessly chasing the Highways Agency to make safety improvements, for which they repeatadly denied the need to do so, with the exception of the improved markings leading from the Turnpike junction to the bridge. These accident figures have proved what we knew all along and it is time the Highways Agency acted with a matter of urgency."