‘Customer ambassador’ to keep bus passengers safe until Fleming Way opens
The bus station has five weeks to continue
Last updated 30th Jul 2025
A ‘customer ambassador’ will be present at Swindon Bus Station now that the Stagecoach office has closed for the next month until Fleming Way is re-opened.
The bus station is in the last few weeks of its operations until the new Fleming Way Bus Boulevard opens at the end of August
But some are concerned about the safety of passengers, especially more vulnerable people, in that time.
David Redgewell, of the South West Transport Network and Railfuture Severnside advocacy groups asked the cabinet member for transport Councillor Chris Watts: “What action is Swindon Borough Council taking with Wiltshire police to ensure bus and coach passengers’ safety?
“Public safety for passengers is very important especially as the bus and coach station has services arriving and departing 18 a day. What is the council’s safety plan for the bus and coach station and new interchange, especially for safety of women and girls and LGBTQ community members and passengers with reduced mobility, wheelchairs users, and partially-sighted passengers?”
Cllr Watts said that staffing of the ticket office by Stagecoach ended on July 18 and added: “A Customer Ambassador will be present during the transition. The police have been made aware of these arrangements. We acknowledge your concerns and will continue to work with bus operators and the police, with passenger safety being a priority in these areas.”
He added that the new public transport hub and interchange at Fleming Way has been designed to be, look and feel much safer than the bus station, which has a number of dark corners.
He said: “The new bus interchange has specifically been designed to create an open and accessible area for all, with greatly improved facilities including larger bus shelters, real time information screens, accessible toilets with a changing places facility.
“Great consideration has been given to ensure the area is accessible and the project team has worked with various disability and community groups to achieve this.
“With regards to public safety, Fleming Way will be lit at all times and CCTV is being installed at height so as to avoid tampering/vandalism.
“This will be monitored by the Swindon Borough Council control room who will engage with the police as necessary should there be any incidents, but will also monitor anti-social behaviour and report patterns to the police so that they may determine their presence and response.”