BCP Council’s future travel plans

Bournemouth: the sixth most congested place in UK, with Christchurch and Poole not far behind.

BCP and Dorset Councils are on a mission to make travel for pedestrians and cyclists safer whilst reducing congestion. Bournemouth is currently being cited as the sixth most congested place in the UK according to research conducted by leading SatNav provider Tom Tom. Our area’s unique geography and lack of joined up travel infrastructure has, according to BCP Council led to an overreliance on cars, resulting in slower journey times and poor air quality in some places. The conurbation’s ambitious economic growth plans mean a new sustainable travel infrastructure is vital to help connect people and places in a way that reduces road congestion and also protects the planet. Transforming Travel aims to revolutionise how we all get about by providing safe, environmentally friendly travel alternatives to the car. The planned improvements, which we’re already seeing being implemented across BCP, are part of the ‘Transforming Cities Fund’ which is a multi-million pound investment programme in local sustainable travel. In addition, with its emphasis on sustainability, tackling air quality and the new focus on walking and cycling through the government’s Gear Change initiative, Transforming Travel supports BCP Council’s climate emergency ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030. Plans for these improvements were developed in conjunction with responses gathered during a public engagement in late 2020 and a later formal consultation which ran 24 February to 31 March 2021. Details of how to be find information and be involved with the consultation were communicated to the public via road signs, in-bus information screen, social media, the council’s website, in Dorset Council’s residents magazine (delivered to residents outside of BCP) and via e-newsletter to BCP residents who subscribed to the council’s Travel e-newsletter. The council did not use its own resident’s magazine BCP News to communicate this important information to local taxpayers, possibly as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic which meant the council was unable to deliver the magazine to local residents. Our own BH Living residents magazine was however being circulated to over 170,000 local resident’s homes but we received no approaches from the council to include this information in either our Winter 2020 or Spring 2021 editions. The council claim just under 1500 people responded to the consultation. A report summarising the results is available at: www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Features/TransformingTravel/sustainable-travel-network/nts Over the next few editions, BH Living will be looking at the transport improvement plans across the whole of BCP but in this edition we’re looking at the plans to improve the links between Bournemouth and Ferndown which received the most responses during the Council’s consultation process.

Bournemouth to Ferndown route

The Bournemouth to Ferndown Sustainable Travel Network plans form part of a mission to provide a safe travel route from Bournemouth to Ferndown for cyclists and pedestrians.

Boundary Road - Ensbury Park

Proposals include:

New protected two-way cycle track on the southern side of Wallisdown

Road, connecting to University Roundabout, with upgraded crossings

New protected two-way cycle track on west side of Boundary Road, with parking removed at northern end to provide the space

More priority for cyclists and pedestrians on Boundary Road across adjoining roads

Reduction in speed limit from 40mph to 30mph on Boundary Road

New crossing points and upgrades to existing crossings

New walking and cycling provisions around Ensbury Park Gyratory, including new crossing points and cycling link around it, connecting to

Redhill Avenue cycle track

Up to five highway trees may need to be removed opposite Redhill Park

Fire Station, to create space for the cycle track

A series of walking and cycling improvements are planned in and around Glenferness Avenue that will form part of TCF’s 14km sustainable travel route between Bournemouth town centre and Ferndown. The work is expected to start in May 2022. Proposals include:

New planting on Leven Avenue – no direct access for vehicles between

Glenferness Avenue and Branksome Wood Road as a result

New toucan crossing would be installed on Glenferness Avenue, near the

Leven Avenue junction

Junction layout revised where Rothesay Road meets Glenferness Avenue, giving more priority to people walking and cycling across the junction

A new protected cycle track will be built on both sides of

Glenferness Avenue

New cycling and walking bridges over railway line will be built (see below) creating shared use paths on both sides of the road bridge with cyclists and pedestrians separated by a white line (subject to planning permission)

More priority for cyclists and pedestrians along Glenferness Avenue across adjoining roads Bridge improvements

A planning application has been submitted to BCP Council Planning Office for improvements to be made to the bridge across the railway line on Glenferness Avenue. The application seeks planning permission for the construction of new walking and cycling bridges over the railway line either side of the existing road bridge. The road bridge itself will remain unaltered. The works along Glenferness Avenue will be split into two phases to accommodate the planning application for the bridge works:

Phase 1: Talbot Roundabout – Railway bridges

Phase 2: Railway bridges – Leven Avenue Chapel Lane

Proposals include:

More priority for cyclists and pedestrians over junction into

Bournemouth University

Sports Ground

Existing bridleway alongside Chapel

Lane to be surfaced and widened

Thames Close include:

New wayfinding signage and existing signage improved and existing bridleway surfaced and widened.

Upper Gardens

BCP Council are currently working on improving walking and cycling through Upper Gardens which forms part of the 14km sustainable travel route linking Bournemouth centre to Ferndown.

What is happening:

Work in Upper Gardens is split into two phases:

Phase 1: complete

The first phase of the Upper Gardens improvement works has finished. It included: widening and resurfacing the existing cycle/footpath through the gardens from the Square, along the south-west side of Upper Gardens to the entrance on Prince of Wales Road better night-time lighting to improve security improved wayfinding and signage.

Phase 2:

The second phase of the Upper Gardens improvement works are due to start late 2022 and will include: widening of the existing footway on the eastern side of Prince of Wales Road and Queens Road, creating shared space for pedestrians and cyclists, with new crossing points on both roads new crossings on Branksome Wood Road near its junctions with Prince of Wales Road and Queens Road to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross safely.

Whitelegg Way

A series of walking, cycling and bus improvements are now completed along Whitelegg Way, Bournemouth between Redhill and Northbourne roundabouts. They form part of the 13 km sustainable travel route between Merley (Poole) and Christchurch to enable more sustainable journeys and expand the travel choices available to people living and working in the area.

Work includes: Why is Whitelegg Way being used for the cycle route?

A new, dedicated (segregated from traffic) 850m cycle track along both sides of Whitelegg Way between Redhill roundabout and Northbourne roundabout providing a protected route for cyclists Reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph along Whitelegg Way to make the road safer for drivers and cyclists Upgrading and relocating the existing crossing closer to Northbourne Roundabout with new walking and cycling links into Wimborne Road. Upgrading the street lighting. Resurfacing the carriageway. Upgrading the traffic signs. A 4-metre-wide toucan crossing across Whitelegg Way close to Redhill roundabout. A raised table crossing – a traffic calming measure – across the junction where Old Road (east side of Wimborne Road) meets Whitelegg Way. This includes new shared use paths across adjoining side roads, with new shared use paths to allow eastbound cyclists access to the road. New cycle and walking paths either side of Whitelegg Way from Redhill Roundabout up to Wimborne Road slip road. Removal of the left-turn from Wimborne Road onto Whitelegg Way to reduce waiting times for buses, cars and cyclists. There will be a dedicated waiting space for cyclists at the junction, as well as a head start for cyclists before vehicles when lights turn green. New bus stop shelters and real time information displays along Wimborne Road slip road. Plans for these improvements were ‘informed’ by responses gathered during the public engagement and formal consultation. Overall the proposals were well-received with broad public support. However, a small number of responses questioned whether Wimborne Road could have been used as the cycle route rather than Whitelegg Way. Whitelegg Way was chosen as the preferred route because it offers a safe, direct route separated from traffic for people cycling along the Merley to/from Christchurch sustainable travel route. It reduces the number of crossings people cycling need to make at Northbourne roundabout and minimises the number of side road junctions, always a hazard for cyclists and motorists, between Whitelegg Way and Wimborne Road. Wimborne Road is also the main bus route between Redhill roundabout and Northbourne roundabout with a number of bus stops. Where possible designers will separate the movement of people cycling from people joining or leaving a bus. By constructing cycle lanes on Whitelegg Way the movements between bus passengers and people cycling are fully separated.

River Stour

Proposals include: Route options from the north of Redhill Roundabout to Chapel Gate Roundabout are being assessed and are subject to agreement with landowners. At this stage, it is envisaged that proposals in this section would include:

An accessible bridge over the River Stour

New crossing point on Christchurch Road

Improvements to existing path on north side of Christchurch

Road to provide shared space near school. View the proposed design plan here.

To find out more about The Council’s plans for a new sustainable travel network visit: www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Features/Transforming-Travel/sustainable-travel-network