BOROUGH OF POOLE

TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – 18 JANUARY 2007

REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ON

WIMBORNE ROAD SAFETY AND CYCLING IMPROVEMENTS

  1. Purpose of the Report
  2. To request approval to proposals for road safety and cycling improvements in Wimborne Road, between Tatnam Road and Fernside Road.
  3. Recommendations
  4. It is recommended that,

(a)the proposals for road safety and cycling improvements in Wimborne Road, as detailed in the Report, be approved.

(b)approval be given to advertise the revocation of the “no left turn” Order in Tatnam Road.

(c)approval be given to advertise the amendment to the existing parking regulations.

  1. Background

3.1Analysis shows that the section of Wimborne Road (B3068) between the George Roundabout and the New Inn has an accident rate along its length of 107 injury accidents per 100 million vehicle kilometres, which is two-thirds above the national average for B Class Roads. Around 9% of these were Killed or Serious Injuries (KSI’s) which is below the national average of 13% KSI’s.

3.2Over the past 5 years (to Sep 2006) there have been 16 slight personal Injury Collisions between Tatnam Road and the New Inn junctions. Seven motorcyclists were injured, two involved injuries to cyclists and two pedestrians were injured. There have been no child injuries at all along this stretch of road between these dates.

3.3Wimborne Road is a main route from the significant catchment area of Oakdale and Canford Heath, to the Town Centre and is also well used by cyclists to and from Poole High School, which has the highest number of cycle trips per head of school population in Poole. Cyclists are already assisted along the route by the cycle crossing facility at New Inn and the cycle lanes at the Tatnam junction.

3.4There are outstanding approvals from earlier meetings of this Group to install cycle lanes in Wimborne Road between Tatnam Road and Serpentine Road as well as between Dorchester Road and Fleetsbridge. These should be implemented early in the new year.

  1. Scheme Details
  2. A scheme has been developed which is designed to address the safety issues. It will also enable completion of another section of cycle lanes along Wimborne Road.
  3. The proposed scheme is shown on Drawing Nos. JC0625/08 & 09 at Appendices A and B.
  4. Main features of the scheme are as follows,
  5. Provision of footway build-outs, adjacent to junctions, along the Western kerbline of Wimborne Road. These are designed to improve the visibility for vehicles exiting the side roads. The build outs will also protect the 1.8m wide parking bays in Wimborne Road.
  6. Provision of on-road cycle lanes on both sides of Wimborne Road, between Tatnam Road and Fernside Road. This will require removal of the existing parking bays on the Eastern side of Wimborne Road and amendment to the existing parking regulations. A 1.2m wide lane will be provided on the outside of the remaining parking bays on the West side, with an additional 0.5m wide safety zone. The cycle lane on the East side will be 1.5m wide.
  7. Revocation of the “No Left Turn” Order from Tatnam Road into Wimborne Road together with kerb re-alignment at this point. This will reduce the amount of traffic which currently emerges from the Stokes Avenue junction onto Wimborne Road.
  8. Carriageway widths are maintained at 2.9m.
  9. Provision of central hatched areas adjacent to junctions along Wimborne Road to slow traffic on the main road.
  10. The majority of the properties along the eastern side of the road have off-street parking. The amount of parking has been reduced by the Heckford Park resident parking controls and residents now find it much easier to park in the side roads. Parking can be retained on the western side of the road and it is proposed to take advantage of the kerb build outs to allow minor shortening of the existing yellow lines.
  11. It is estimated that the proposals can be completed at a cost of £30,000 approx., for which there is sufficient budget in the Capital Programme.
  12. Drawings of the proposals were sent for comment to Ward Members and representatives of CLAG.
  13. Following CLAG comments, adjustments to the scheme have been undertaken to provide a 1.5m wide cycle lane on the East side of Wimborne Road. CLAG have been supportive of our installation of cycle lanes elsewhere in Wimborne Road.

4.8CLAG would prefer that the build outs were not constructed, as the existing parking bays form a good, but unofficial, cycle lane when unobstructed by vehicles. It is recommended that the build outs are incorporated into the scheme however, because they are designed to improve visibility for vehicles exiting the side roads.

STEPHEN L TITE

Acting Head of Transportation Services

Appendix A- Drawing No. JC0625/08

Appendix B – Drawing No. JC0625/09

Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact :

Graham Spicer (01202) 262072

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APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B