Frustration as busy road closes to traffic for months
Devizes Road in Old Town closed on Monday, July 21, as part of a £120,000 project to upgrade gas pipes in the area.
Traffic will be unable to use the route until Wales & West Utilities finishes the work and this is estimated to take until the end of September.
One driver who lives in Old Town told the Adver the roadworks had impacted their commute.
They said: 'I had to leave 15 minutes earlier, all the buses were diverted down Bath Road so it was hard to get out.
'There was definitely more traffic than usual, and it was difficult to get anywhere, it's very frustrating because it means my commute will take longer for the next few months.'
Suggested reading
Tributes paid to footballer after sudden death as donations pour in
Police swarm town centre after person spotted on shopping centre roof
More thunderstorms forecast as new weather warning issued
Be the first to know with the Swindon Advertiser! 📱 💡 Our flash sale brings the latest local happenings directly to you. Save over 50% on an annual subscription now. 🔗https://t.co/ayrpkI5pr6#KnowYourCity #SpecialOffer pic.twitter.com/9PFJMulLvW
— Swindon Advertiser (@swindonadver) July 4, 2025
Swindon Borough Council says it has worked to minimise disruption in the area.
A spokesperson said: 'We have been working closely with businesses, and the Old Town Business Association, to help mitigate any impacts, including waiving cafe pavement licence fees.
'A diversion route will be in place and access for businesses and residents will be maintained.
'A series of street events will also be taking place on Devizes Road and Wood Street to support the local businesses impacted by the closure.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Retail ETFs Pop on EU Deal; MAGS, QQQ Rise Ahead of Earnings
Retail ETFs jumped on Monday as the United States clinched a trade deal with the European Union, setting tariffs at 15%. The deal comes just ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline the White House set for all tariff negotiations, refusing to extend or delay any further. Speaking alongside U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Donald Trump explained that going forward, there would be a "global tariff" in the range of 15%-20%. Retail ETFs jumped on the news while broad markets also inched higher before paring gains. XRT Flatlines, VGK Drops The SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) rose mildly in early trading Monday before falling by 0.5% midday. The ProShares Online Retail ETF (ONLN) fared much better, jumping nearly 1% before giving back some gains, boosted in part by tech darling Inc. (AMZN). The EU is the largest trading partner to the United States with major imports in the furniture, wine/alcohol, rubber and machinery categories. The $600 billion dollar deal would see the EU increase American energy and defense imports. The Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (VGK) fell 1.9% as of midday Monday on the news. But despite the White House lauding the trade agreement as a "landmark deal," investors have set their sights on earnings and an upcoming Fed decision. MAGS Jumps Ahead of Major Tech Earnings Four members of the "Magnificent Seven"—Meta Platforms Inc. (META), Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Apple Inc. (AAPL) and AMZN—are set to report quarterly earnings this week, turning investor interest to the tech sector. Markets are set to pay close attention to any news about artificial intelligence and investments into AI tech and strategies. The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS) jumped Monday as investors were more attracted to risk ahead of earnings. The Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ), which mirrors the tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 index, also notched gains. Invest in Gold Thor Metals Group: Best Overall Gold IRA Priority Gold: Up to $15k in Free Silver + Zero Account Fees on Qualifying Purchase American Hartford Gold: #1 Precious Metals Dealer in the Nation Tech companies will have to clear a lower bar this quarter after analysts slashed estimates amid tariff concerns and the central bank holding rates steady. Last week, Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) beat earnings expectations and raised spending forecasts. But Mag 7 member Tesla Inc. (TSLA) disappointed, pointing to slumping revenue and tougher margins. Tesla CEO Elon Musk told investors to brace for some rough quarters in the future. Fed Expected to Hold Rates Steady Rounding out a busy week ahead, the Federal Reserve is set to meet this week and make a decision on rates. According to the CME FedWatch Tool markets are pricing a 97% chance that the Fed will hold rates steady. A rate cut is largely not expected until the fall at the September FOMC meeting. Tariff concerns have continued to weigh on the central bank, which is currently walking a tightrope between economic stimulus and reigning in inflation. The impact of tariffs has yet to appear in inflation reports, causing the Fed to hold its course. During testimony last month in front of the House Financial Services Committee, Fed Chair Jerome Powell confirmed that the Fed would have cut rates by now were it not for tariffs. Bond yields rose Monday in advance of the Fed meeting, sending Treasury bond prices lower. Yields and prices move in opposite directions. The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) dipped 0.6% as of Monday | © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
What we know about Trump and Starmer's meeting in Scotland
From trade deals to Gaza, here is what Keir Starmer is expected to discuss with Donald Trump at the US president's Ayrshire golf course. Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump have discussed a range of issues including the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and tariffs as the two world leaders met in Scotland. The US president hosted the prime minister at his Turnberry golf resort in Ayrshire on Monday near the end of his four-day visit to Scotland. The two leaders discussed securing food supplies into Gaza and efforts to reach a ceasefire deal, how to bring fighting in Ukraine to a halt, and whether or not the UK will be given more relief from US tariffs. One day after Trump announced he had agreed "biggest deal ever made' between the US and the European Union on Sunday, Starmer has been looking to secure a reduction on 25% tariffs on imported British steel. A deal still didn't appear to be on the cards at Monday's meeting, although Trump hinted that the UK would know "pretty soon" whether steel tariffs would be reduced, eliminated or raised to 50% as the US has for other countries. Here, Yahoo News takes a look at Trump's meeting with Starmer and what the two leaders discussed. Why is Trump here? Trump has been visiting his mother's ancestral homeland of Scotland since Friday for a mixture of business and pleasure. The president has been pictured playing golf at his Turnberry course in South Ayrshire and was also expected to visit his other course on the Menie Estate, north of Aberdeen, during his visit. He is expected to fly back to Washington on Tuesday (29 July), following his meetings on Monday with Starmer and Scotland's first minister John Swinney. Later on Monday, Trump will meet SNP leader Swinney, before the pair hold more formal talks on Tuesday as Trump prepares to open a new golf course in Aberdeenshire. Swinney has vowed to press Trump to exempt Scotch whisky from US trade tariffs, which he says are currently costing the local industry £4m a week. Swinney also promised to raise the situation in Gaza with Trump, as it was 'causing deep unease and concern and heartbreak within Scotland'. Asked during his meeting with Starmer about the SNP's push for a second Scottish independence referendum, Trump said he has heard "great things" about Swinney but that he does not want to "get involved" in UK domestic politics. Is this a state visit? This four-day trip is not a state visit, although Trump is scheduled to make a state visit to the UK between 17 and 19 September. It will be a historic first, as Trump is the first elected leader in modern history to be invited back for a second state visit to the UK – the first being in 2019 during his first term as president. The full details of the visit have not yet been released, but it will include a full ceremonial welcome and a state banquet at St George's Hall in Windsor Castle. There had been speculation the King would host Trump in Scotland at Balmoral or Dumfries House, after Charles wrote a letter to him in February inviting him to a state visit. However, it is understood that with the state visit scheduled just a few months later, both sides had agreed to wait until the formal gathering. Anti-Trump campaigners have said they plan to stage a mass demonstration in central London on the first day of his trip. Speaking on Monday (28 July), Trump brushed off suggestions he had been snubbed due to his visit being scheduled for party conference season, meaning he won't have a chance to address Parliament. 'As far as Parliament, if he wants me to speak in Parliament, I'll do it. But it doesn't have to be then, it could be some other time. Maybe we should save it for another time," he told reporters. What have Trump and Starmer been discussing? Starmer and his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer, were greeted with bagpipes as they arrived at Turnberry shortly before 1pm ahead of talks with Trump. Trump said the US and UK's so-called special relationship was "unparalleled" as the trio stood on the steps of his hotel before going inside for their meeting. On the two leaders' efforts to arm Ukraine and force Russia to the negotiating table, Trump suggested he would reduce a 50-day deadline for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire down to "about 10 or 12 days from today". "There is no reason in waiting", he said, adding that he was "very disappointed" with Putin's continuation of the war. Trump also praised Starmer's 'very strong stand on immigration' in an apparent reference to the UK's recent deal to return some migrants who arrive via the English Channel back to France. "Europe is going to is a much different place than it was just five years ago, 10 years ago," he said. "They've got to get their act together. "If they don't, you're not going to have Europe anymore, as you know it, and you can't do that. This is a magnificent part of the world, and you cannot ruin it." When asked about tariffs on Scotch whisky, Trump said: 'We'll talk about that, I didn't know whisky was a problem. I'm not a big whisky drinker but maybe I should be.' Beyond whisky, Trump hinted during the meeting that the UK will know 'pretty soon' whether or not tariffs on steel will increase to 50%, remain at 25% where they currently stand, or be eliminated. "These people are tough negotiators, OK. We're a big buyer of steel, but we're going to make our own steel and we're going to make our own aluminium for the most part," he said. "But we buy a lot of aluminium from right here and a lot of steel too." When the UK and US signed a trade deal in June, it reduced tariffs on car and aerospace imports to the US, but an agreement on a similar arrangement for Britain's steel imports was not reached. Concerns in the US over steel products made elsewhere in the world, then finished in the UK, are said to be among the sticking points on which Starmer will attempt to make progress. Trump also hinted that the US may not impose heavy tariffs on British pharmaceuticals, despite a plan to bring more of the industry's production back to the United States, telling reporters: "We certainly feel a lot better with your country working on pharmaceuticals for America than some of the other countries that were." Efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and address the starvation among the Palestinian territory's population was also on Monday's agenda, with Starmer saying people were "revolted at what they are seeing on their screens". Speaking to reporters, Trump said 'other nations are going to have to step up', adding that the US recently provided $60m worth of food for Gaza and that "nobody even said thank you". 'No other nation gave money, I know the prime minister would, if he knew about it. And he really knows about it now, because we're going to be discussing it," he added. Click below to see the latest Scotland headlines During his meeting with Starmer, Trump said Hamas has become "very difficult to deal with in the last couple of days" because they "don't want to give up" the last 20 living hostages. 'We know where they have them, in some cases, and you don't want to go riding roughshod over that area, because that means those hostages will be killed," he said. The prime minister has condemned Israel for restricting the flow of aid into the territory, alongside the leaders of France and Germany. Washington has been far less critical of Israel, having provided money to the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been criticised over the security of its distribution sites, as Palestinians have allegedly be shot at by Israeli troops as they attempt to collect aid. Trump told reporters that the US would set up food centres in Gaza without fences, where "people can walk in" with "no boundaries". 'We're going to supply funds, and we just took in trillions of dollars, we have a lot of money and we're going to spend a little money on some food," he said. 'And other nations are joining us. I know your nation's joining us, and we have all of the European nations joining us, and others also called and they want to be helpful." Despite their strong working relationship, there was an awkward moment between the pair inside Trump's hotel when he described London's Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan as a 'nasty person' who has done 'a terrible job'. "He's a friend of mine, actually," Starmer said, to which Trump replied: "I think he's done a terrible job. But I would certainly visit London." Trump also waded into UK domestic politics by saying he backed North Sea oil and gas, branding wind turbines 'ugly monsters'. After their meeting the two leaders will travel on together to a private engagement in Aberdeen. Read more US and EU agree trade deal - with bloc facing 15% tariffs on goods into America (Sky News) Palestinian state recognition is a one shot opportunity for Starmer – but what does he want to achieve? (The Independent) Scottish Secretary to give Donald Trump 'warm welcome' (The Telegraph) Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump hosts Starmer and Swinney for dinner at Aberdeenshire golf course
Donald Trump is hosting Sir Keir Starmer and John Swinney for dinner at his Aberdeenshire golf course during his four-day trip to Scotland. Scottish First Minister Mr Swinney plans to make the case for tariff relief on whisky and salmon to the US president directly. Sir Keir, meanwhile, travelled on Marine One with Mr Trump to Menie, Aberdeenshire, where he is due to open a new course on Tuesday. Demonstrators gathered in the nearby village of Balmedie to protest against Mr Trump's visit. A Scottish Government spokesperson said Mr Swinney would 'make the case for tariff exemptions for Scotland's world-class whisky and salmon sector directly with the president'. Asked earlier about tariffs on whisky, Mr Trump had said: 'We'll talk about that, I didn't know whisky was a problem. I'm not a big whisky drinker but maybe I should be.' Sir Keir arrived with Mr Trump on the president's helicopter on Monday evening following talks at his other golf course in Turnberry, South Ayrshire. They were greeted by a pipe band from Robert Gordon College, who played Scotland The Brave and were saluted by Mr Trump. Mr Trump had earlier spoken of his 'great love' for Scotland and said he wanted to see the nation 'thrive'. Sir Keir and the US president agreed in an earlier meeting that 'urgent action' is needed in Gaza and discussed Ukraine, trade and Mr Trump's upcoming state visit. Sir Keir shared plans to secure peace in the Middle East that he has been preparing with France and Germany, Downing Street said. It came after they took questions for more than an hour at Turnberry. The US president praised Sir Keir Starmer as a 'tax cutter' who did a 'great thing with the economy', and hailed both Sir Keir and Nigel Farage as 'great men'. 'I happen to like both men. I like this man (Sir Keir) a lot, and I like Nigel. 'And, you know, I don't know the politics over here. I don't know where they stand. I would say one is slightly liberal – not that liberal, slightly – and the other one is slightly conservative, but they're both good men.' He added: '(Sir Keir) did a great thing with the economy, because a lot of money is going to come in because of the deal that was made. But I think that immigration is now bigger than ever before,' he said. The president had earlier said he thinks Sir Keir, who has been in office for more than a year, will be 'a tax cutter'. Mr Trump was asked about trade talks under way to give the UK relief from his tariff regime for goods entering the US from other nations. He said he had 'a very big plan on pharmaceuticals' when asked if a planned import levy on medicines would affect the UK. 'We want to bring a lot of the pharmaceuticals back to America, where they should be,' he said. He later added: 'You also have a good pharmaceutical business – we'll be dealing with you on pharmaceuticals also – and we certainly feel a lot better with your country working on pharmaceuticals for America than some of the other countries that were … with the relationship we have, you would not use that as a cudgel. You wouldn't be using it as a block.' During the same press conference, Mr Trump described the Labour London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan as a 'nasty person' who has done 'a terrible job'. The Prime Minister intervened to say: 'He's a friend of mine, actually.' The question session inside the president's Turnberry resort came after he suggested that the UK is 'doing a fantastic thing' in trying to reduce immigration by small boat crossings. Mr Trump said he knows 'nothing about the boats' when asked about the issue but said 'my hats are off to you' if the UK is trying to reduce immigration. Sir Keir and his wife Lady Starmer were greeted by the president and a chorus of bagpipes as they arrived in South Ayrshire on Monday. When Mr Trump was asked about how he would deal with small boats, Sir Keir explained that it refers to people who are crossing the Channel. Mr Trump told reporters: 'If you're stopping immigration and stopping the wrong people … my hats are off to you. You're doing, not a good thing, you're doing a fantastic thing. 'So, I know nothing about the boats, but if the boats are loaded up with bad people, and they usually are, because, you know, other countries don't send their best, they send people that they don't want, and they're not stupid people, and they send the people that they don't want.' Turning to the Prime Minister, Mr Trump added: 'And I've heard that you've taken a much stronger stance on this.' The latest data from the Home Office indicates that 122 people crossed the Channel in small boats on Saturday. Around a hundred protesters gathered earlier at the Balmedie demonstration, with a few remaining as the US president arrived at his golf course.