IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Matley Moor, SWINDON, SN3 6NL

An unusually heavy fall of snow overnight has transformed the appearance of the area. The road names of this part of Liden are, I believe, taken from areas in Derbyshire.

This stretch of Marlborough Road was widened some years ago partly to accommodate an entrance to a new hospital, the Great Western, and to provide additional capacity for this major route into Swindon from both the M4 and M5 motorways which are connected by the A419, out of view behind the trees in the background.

This part of the A4259 has been changed quite a lot in the last ten years largely to provide easy access to the nearby Great Western Hospital. The entrance to the hospital is just behind the Post Office van in the centre of the image.

Wick Lane is in the foreground. It is now a cycle track and footpath. Many years ago it was a minor road to the nearby village of Wanborough. The A4259 just beyond is now a dual carriageway. Back then it was just a single carriageway. The rapid growth of Swindon and the concomitant increase in traffic necessitated the dualling of the road and the construction of what is effectively an eastern bypass in the form of the A419.

There was a heavy snowfall overnight and, following a brief lull, the snow starting falling again shortly before this image was obtained. The crystalline flakes are reflecting the light from the camera's flash.

Following a five-vehicle road traffic accident further north along the A419 at around 09.30 BST on this day the north-bound carriageway was closed for about nine hours and traffic was prevented from entering at the Commonhead intersection. This photo was taken at 15.55.

Follow Town Centre for everything, it seems.

Moments before I took this photo a heron was swimming on the pond. By the time I had my phone ready to take a snap the bird had taken off. It's just about visible slightly above the centre point of the image.

The GWH was opened in 2001 and is a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) development. The site was developed by Carillion Plc, a construction and services company demerged from the Tarmac group in 1999. The cost of developing the hospital buildings and plant was met in large part by Carillion who retain ownership. Their return on the investment comes from payments to them from the Great Western National Health Service Foundation Trust. The site is maintained by Carillion and the service includes the provision of ancillary services such as cleaning and porterage. Carillion employ the cleaning and portering staff. Many of the cleaners are of Goan origin, coming from Goa, a small but relatively wealthy Indian state. Recently, some of these staff have become discontented with certain of their working conditions and have made allegations of "bullying and harassment". Another significant grievance concerns holiday arrangements. The Goans are seeking to be allowed as of right to have four-week holiday periods thus enabling them to have sufficient time to make the long journey home to Goa worthwhile. Relations between workers and their employers have broken down to the extent that the workers have decided to stage three one-day strikes. Today is the first of these. Although the strikers are members of a trade union it appears that the employers do not recognise the union and not all their staff are members of it. Local reports indicate that Carillion have been able to continue to provide enough staff to cover for the absent strikers. The pickets are seen in this image as they sit on the edge of the eastbound carriageway opposite the hospital entrance. See also http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2804160 and http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/9529200.Workers_strike_outside_GWH/ and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-17024114