PEOPLE power is being celebrated by campaigners who have won their fight with Swindon Council.

A mini roundabout, installed at a busy Swindon junction as an experiment, is to become a permanent feature.

Swindon Council's cabinet has decided that the roundabout at the Newport Street and Devizes Road junction shall be kept.

Traffic lights, which had been erected in April 2002, will be dismantled and used elsewhere.

More than 1,300 Old Town residents signed a petition demanding the removal of the traffic lights.

And newsagent Rosemary Earle, 51, spokeswoman for the campaigners, said triumphantly: "Common sense has prevailed. What a wonderful day for people power!

"This has shown that people can make a difference if they are sufficiently determined and organised.

"We have all become empowered through this experience. It's very fulfilling to know we've had a hand in improving the quality of our lives."

The cost of making the roundabout permanent, removing the lights and updating a puffin crossing to meet safety standards will cost £14,000. This will be paid for out of the current traffic management revenue budget.

Council highways officer, Ioan Rees, reported that the experimental junction layout had helped to reduce traffic congestion and pollution.

Traffic lights were introduced in April 2002 as "part of an overall package of traffic management measures to provide a bus priority route for the Wroughton park-and-ride". The cost was £14,000.

Residents claimed that the scheme had caused massive traffic congestion and was a danger to pedestrians.

No one however has been hurt since the roundabout has been in operation.