Swindon buses have outgrown their home.

Thamesdown Transport has begun trying out longer vehicles and its current town centre depot in Corporation Street has become too small to store its fleet.

Bosses believe the time has come to move its buses into a new, purpose-built depot fit for the 21st century.

Last night Swindon Council's planning committee granted Thamesdown permission to develop on the former incinerator site in Barnfield Road.

The new depot, which will open next year, will have space for 134 buses, 113 cars, two bus washes, two refuelling bays, a covered workshop, service pits, offices and staff facilities.

Thamesdown boss John Owen said the current 100-year-old depot had originally been built for trams.

"It's totally inadequate for a 21st century business," he said.

"If we are to continue to deliver a quality service for Swindon it's important we work out of facilities that allow us to do the job."

Mr Owen said the service to customers would be unaltered.

The move would also mean trials of longer buses could continue.

"We have tried them out on the roads but the one place we can't use them at the moment is our depot," said Mr Owen.

Swindon Services, which currently uses the Barnfield Road site as a recycling and storage facility, is set to move to Cheney Manor Industrial Park in May.