THE BRISTOL Street tunnel could soon be open until 9pm, complete with security guards.

Swindon Borough Council is working to extend the opening hours of the tunnel - a key pedestrian route linking the town centre with McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Swindon.

The council announced last Thursday that the tunnel would reopen after it was shut the previous week by PWC, which was appointed as administrator after previous operators Carillion and Churchward PLC went into administration.

It is currently open seven days a week between 7am and 5pm, but the council is in negotiations to provide security so those hours can be extended to enable the tunnel to remain open until 9pm at night.

Councillor Dale Heenan, cabinet member for the town centre, said: “It is vital we get the Bristol Street Tunnel open until 9pm again, particularly with it being so close to Christmas, as at it provides a key link between the Outlet Centre and the town centre.

“We also need to extend the hours for residents who live in the nearby Old Railway Quarter. This has been a long and complicated ownership issue to unravel going back to the days of Railtrack more than 20 years ago and we are doing all we can, working with our partners.”