THE £45 million scheme to re-double the railway line between Swindon and Kemble has now been completed.

Trains are already running along the two track route after work was finished yesterday (Monday, August 25).

The project, which has been hampered by delays since work started in January 2012, will improve rail access in the region and cut journey times to London.

It was unveiled in the 2011 budget as part of a £200 million package of support for regional rail works across England.

The re-doubling of the 12.5 mile stretch of track will enable trains to travel simultaneously back and forth from Kemble in Gloucestershire into north Wiltshire.

British Rail originally reduced the line to a single track in the 1960s in an effort to make cost-savings.

However, the re-doubling was needed before the electrification of the Great Western Main Line could take place.

There will be no extra trains on the route until a new service franchise agreement is struck in 2017, but in the longer-term the re-doubling will enable four trains an hour to use the route in each direction.