This is recent communcation I have had with Poole Borough on Road works and Cycling Schemes. Responses given in italics. Next 6 months sees significant chance for Poole to prove they can design for the future, with adequate Space for Cycling.
Space for Cycling, Infrastructure. View from User perspective. Challenge Fund Schemes
Read this:- Point 3.8 states these actions should be happening
Context–Poole Borough area, Timeline after Announcements 08 August– Boro of Poole win from only 19 councils £535K from LTP for road re-surfacing works in the area, including the following in actual date sequence:-
Timing and Reason for this communication.
Several of these Schemes represent serious chance for Borough of Poole to initiate building future space for cycling, using protected cycleways of the type being introduced in many areas of the U.K. Building separate protected cycleways initiates the up-take of active travel desired by current LTP’s. Some of these listed missed consideration due to timing, however upcoming works named here possess significant chances for the Borough to demonstrate future planning and provision for Active Travel. Consider the following-
1.Oct/ Nov 17– Longfleet Rd -complete, no changes made at all. Suggested shared pavement designation which didn’t transpire. :- Longfleet road has significant space however now completed due to time constraints. Re-painting of lines here show no coherence at all along the road length ranging from advisory hatches to solid lines and nothing at Bus stops.
Response: Agree that the changes weren’t major but the following improvements were undertaken during the maintenance scheme at Longfleet Road:
- Kerbline/exit from George Rbt tightened and cycle lane introduced
- Refuge adj Elizabeth Rd rebuilt to improve visibility for pedestrians
- Existing advisory sections of cycleway re-designated as mandatory
- New Puffin Crossing installed on pedestrian desire line for hospital
- Improved bus layby to ensure rear of bus does not block cycleway
- New dropped access onto Longfleet Rd from Kingston Rd for cyclists
- Revised lining to improve safety for cyclists (i.e. lane widths adjusted – i.e. no longer between 3.2-4.0m)
- Advanced Stop Line extended and moved back to protect cyclists at Shah Junction
- PENDING – potential to extend proposed shared cycleway footway between Shah and Birds Hill – the reason that the suggested shared pavement designation hasn’t transpired yet.
Picture 1 is the pavement mentioned at point 9 above
picture 2 is slightly further down southwards on same pavement
picture 3 is looking south on same pavement
picture 4 shows the road width at the same point.
2.Nov/ Dec/17 Jan 2018 Ongoing Blandford Rd at port – to Boro boundary, intermittent on road advisory cycle lanes, and A.S.L’s:- small improvements made to existing designs. Blandford Road ongoing with minor changes welcomed, whole road could benefit from re-design however likely to be well past consultation.
Response: There is/was insufficient budget or time available for a complete redesign so the opportunity has been taken to reallocate road space for cyclists, reduce no. of vehicle lanes on approach to junction, reposition Advanced Stop Lines for cyclists. Improvements for pedestrians at Coles Avenue junction. Further improvements will be undertaken in January including extension of on road cycle lanes to borough boundary and widening of very narrow footway beneath railway bridges. There is the potential to return to Blandford Road following the Challenge Fund and improve it further.
3. (July- Dec 17 (Separately funded scheme)- Boundary Lane 4th Arm. Opening of 4th Arm of roundabout to motor traffic, large re-design of main entrance /exit to University site for active travelling student population from local area Winton(ongoing) Work completed on the Boundary Lane 4th Arm of Roundbout shows significant failure to observe best design practice. Poole Cycling Officer and Lead of the University Travel Dept. are currently in discussion with Borough about correcting failures here.)
Response: Just to clarify for others – scheme isn’t part of Challenge Fund. As you’ve stated Poole’s Senior Walking and Cycling Officer is working on this item – I don’t know the history so am unable to comment on this.
Update 22 January- the lower picture shows the double yellow lines brought back into cycle space, and the Give way Triangle and dotted lines burnt off. Some improvement on what was absolutely shocking.
4. Dec 17 Ongoing. Magna Road- Queen Anne drive to border boundary Phase 1 East End, underway – Phase 2 in planning?
From Poole Website- http://www.poole.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/
Feb 2018 Phase 2 Work on refurbishing existing and providing additional cycling facilities is scheduled to start on Monday 26 February for 4 weeks. More details will be provided nearer the time.? Magna Road / Queen Anne Drive, Work proceeding westwards towards Gravel Hill. This again has large off road space either side, wide lanes which is 100% suited to a protected cycle lane treatment on this arterial road. As yet no evidence of considering space for cycling.
Response: There is/was insufficient budget and time available for a complete redesign so the opportunity has/is being taken to install on road cycle lanes, install pedestrian crossing in Bearwood and improve off road provision by widening and extending shared cycleway/footway as part of this maintenance scheme.
5. Feb 2018 Alder Road, no road surfaced cycle lanes at all at present- related current communication:-
- As you may be aware as part of the successful Challenge Fund bid we are due to resurface the entire length of Alder Road (except the part near to Mossley Avenue that was done last year). It is planned for this resurfacing to take place in February 2018, likely the 2 weeks starting 12th Feb however this is yet to be confirmed. As part of the resurfacing there will be a redesign of white lining to include cycle lanes where possible (mainly in uphill sections) and there are plans to upgrade the signals at the Herbert Avenue junction to include pedestrian crossing facilities as well as plans to improve communication between the Yarmouth Road and Herbert Avenue signals. This is not an exhaustive list and plans are still ongoing. It is inevitable that any work carried out on Alder Road will cause traffic disruption; I am under no illusion that works on this scale will be incredibly disruptive! However the end result will be worth it – the feedback we have had to date on the Challenge Fund projects has been very positive. There is a lot of work going in to scheduling the sections of road we will deal with at a time to try and ensure there are alternative routes where possible. Once this schedule is finalised we will create a web page to signpost the public to so they can see what the plan is – our Blandford Road Challenge Fund webpage had nearly 10,000 hits! Once the Alder Road web page is ready to view and the final design is available I will share them with you. In the meantime if you have any questions please get in touch.
5 Alder Road, The included wording from Poole Borough suggests an attempt to provide for cycling at very short notice. This is the narrowest of all named roads and most difficult possible undertaking. Discontinuity of cycle provision would be unavoidable on this unpleasant route, with significant design challenges. Questionable why a Public Body would attempt this most difficult area change given the other (relatively) very short term time bound schemes below that have adequate space and with correct design solution could provide major success for transport Dept.
Response: The purpose of the Challenge Fund is highway maintenance, hence, all that we’re stating is that if there are opportunities to improve the environment for cyclists and pedestrians using this route whilst we undertake the maintenance work then we will take them. There are sections of Alder Road where road space could be reallocated to provide uphill lanes for cyclists – why wouldn’t we do this?
6.Date TBC 2018? Wimb Rd, George Rdbout- Fleetsbridge- currently advisory lane until around Fernside rd/ Dorchester road junctions, then advisory after to Fleetsbridge. Many sections are an opportunity for redesign in good available space, central hatched areas and wide roadscape.
Response: Agree, major changes are beyond the scope of the highway maintenance scheme budget and would require extensive consultation which is not achievable within Challenge Fund timescales. To try and maximise benefit of resurfacing within budget and time constraints improvements pre-March 18 are proposed between Serpentine Road and Kings Close (near the New Inn) and between Daisy Close (near Dorchester Road) and Fleetsbridge. There will be a paper presented to Poole’s Transportation Advisory Group (TAG) in January 2018 regarding Wimborne Road between Serpentine Road and Tatnum Road. The section between New Inn and Dorchester Road (Council funded section) has been pushed back to 18/19 financial year to enable sufficient redesign and consultation on any proposals to take place to ensure that any opportunity for significant change is considered thoroughly and fairly. Opportunity to suggest or comment on proposals is welcomed and no doubt he will be coordinating a CLAG (Cycle liason advisory group) meeting to discuss proposed changes to this section of highway. Officers will also engage local Ward Members.
7. Date TBC 2018? Ringwood Rd seaview to Old Wareham Rd. Protected lane exists of poor quality. Major Opportunity for retrofitting quality redesign.
Response: Ringwood Road like part of Wimborne Road is part of Poole’s local contribution (match funding) for the Challenge Fund Maintenance funding, hence, this scheme will not be delivered until the 18/19 financial year and outline design on any proposed changes has not commenced yet. Again CLAG and Local Ward Members will be engaged at the outset.
8. We would like to see good designs that can last into the future as Active Travel inevitably eclipses sole occupant motor vehicles priority which clearly cannot be sustained. You might consider Bournemouth’s Castle Lane West scheme which used available space to a premium, as an evident example of the type of road re-design to aspire to. Several of these schemes are in development now- to be of importance in the future. Those named below and included in this communication are interested users with real world experience of the roads, supported by others working within the field of Cycle Infrastructure Design, please engage with Cycle Forum and Interested parties before undertaking work that can be nationally derided if of poor quality.
Response: Agree but please realise as per opening paragraphs of this response the funding provided by the Challenge Fund is for maintenance, hence, we’re doing our best for active travel, buses and road safety to maximise it’s impact within tight financial and time constraints. On a more positive note you may be aware that the authority in partnership with Bournemouth was recently successful in securing consultation time from DfT to develop a joint Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (CWIP) which once completed no doubt will be used by both authorities to attract the nature and hopefully level of funding required to deliver change on the scale of Castle Lane West.
I trust that the above addresses your concerns and reassures you that if we had £30m and 2-3 years to deliver time that we’d be approaching the redesign of the sections of carriageway in a different manner.
contact:-transportation@poole.gov.uk
