BOROUGH OF POOLE
TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – THURSDAY 31 JULY 2008
REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
MAJOR JUNCTION IMPROVEMENTS BOURNEMOUTH ROAD/ RICHMOND ROAD
1.Purpose of Report and Policy Context
1.2This report brings forward proposals for improvements at the Bournemouth Road / Richmond Road junction.
1.3The policy relating to improvements along Primary Transport Corridors will be presented as a separate item to this Group.
2.Recommendations
2.1It is recommended that
(a)the scheme as shown on Drg JC0611/15 be approved in principle,
subject to
(b)work being undertaken with Baden Powell School to develop a satisfactory travel plan for children who would otherwise be crossing St Osmunds Road as a route to and from school.
(c)a 20 mph school zone for Courthill School be developed and implemented.
2.2On the resolution of the above detail, to the satisfaction of the Portfolio Holder and Ward Members, the Traffic Regulation Order for the proposed banned right turn at Bournemouth Road / Richmond Road be advertised, with any objection being brought back to this Group.
3.Background
3.1This report covers proposals to reduce the traffic congestion and enhanced journey reliability, primarily in the morning peak hour, associated with the Bournemouth Road / Richmond Road junction. Proposals are also being considered further along the A35 at Commercial Road / Station Road and Ashley Cross, these being the subject of a separate report to this Group.
3.2Currently queuing traffic in the morning peak time regularly extends in Bournemouth Road to beyond Hardy Road, and St Osmunds Road. The implications of congestion of this level being left unchecked are :
(a)The increased likelihood of air pollution problems.
(b)Limit the opportunity for improved bus services, seen as the main opportunity to address increasing travel demand on this important Poole to Bournemouth link.
(c)Drivers continuing to use local residential roads as rat runs to avoid delays on the main road.
3.3Proposals
(layout shown on Drawing No. JC0611/15 as Appendix A)
The main features of this proposal are :
(a)Creation of central pedestrian refuges on three approaches - the St Osmunds leg is not wide enough to accommodate such a refuge.
(b)Banning the right turn from Bournemouth Road (westbound) into Richmond Road, as there is insufficient space to accommodate the right turn lane when the central island is provided here.
(c)Controlled pedestrian phases, activated only when a demand is made on all but the St Osmund’s Road leg.
(d)These proposals would achieve an overall 10 -15% improvement in vehicle capacity through the junction at peak times.
3.4Considerable consultation and public debate has already taken place on these proposals :
(a)26 September 2007 Canford Cliffs / Penn Hill Area Committee
(b)11 October 2007 Transportation Advisory Group
(c)Local consultation by means of leaflets delivered in the vicinity and a manned exhibition at St Osmunds Church Hall, 7 - 8 April 2008, 2 - 8 pm
(d)28 May 2008 Canford Cliffs / Penn Hill Area Committee
3.5The results from this consultation are shown as follows:
(a)Minutes from 26 September 2007 Area Committee – Appendix E
(b)Responses to Local consultation – Appendix B
(c)Minutes from 28 May 2008 Area Committee – Appendix F
4.Main Issues
4.1Banning of right turning traffic into Richmond Road
4.2Concern has been expressed that the banning of the right turn will result in displaced traffic using local residential roads instead, primarily Warren Road / Courthill Road but also Florence Road and Mansfield Road.
4.3While there will undeniably be some displacement into these roads, the actual numbers of vehicles are relatively small. The current traffic flows through the junction are shown as Appendix B. The maximum number of right turning vehicles is 52 in the hour 4 – 5 pm. However, it is likely that a number of these vehicles if travelling from a longer distance would potentially divert to an alternative main road route e.g. Ashley Road. This would limit the potential for rat running through avoidance of the local area. Even if a half chose the Warren Road / Courthill Road this would amount to 26 vehicles – less than one every two minutes.
4.4Notwithstanding this low figure and the potential for some vehicles to use alternative main road routes it is recognised that this is a local concern and therefore proposals were developed to introduce a 20 mph zone by means of speed humps in Warren and Courthill Road as a means of deterring such use. However the consultation results clearly showed that these humps were not welcomed by many local people, and in this respect it is suggested that this scheme is not pursued.
4.5In order to go some way to address concerns over the impact of any additional traffic here, it is proposed to develop a 20 mph school zone for Courthill school as part of the ongoing schools programme throughout the borough. The scheme would be developed with the school, with details brought back to a future Area Committee.
4.6Loss of controlled pedestrian facility across St Osmunds Road
4.7Concern has also been expressed that the scheme would not provide a signal controlled crossing on the St Osmunds leg of the junction. While the existing small refuge can be retained, the larger refuge where pedestrians could wait to cross the remainder of the road unfortunately cannot be accommodated within the existing road width.
4.8Existing pedestrian flows at the junction are shown as Appendix D. Pedestrians who choose to cross during the ‘green man’ sequence on St Osmunds Road are most affected here. In this respect the busiest time is between 3 and 4 pm, when a total of 40 people cross in this way.
4.9It should be noted that the proposed scheme allows for a controlled crossing facility on each of the other three legs of the junction, and therefore if desired any destination could be reached in this way. The many pedestrians who are currently confident enough such that they do not the benefit of a controlled facility on this more minor road would be unaffected.
4.10Again it is recognised that this has been expressed as a local concern given that during the busiest hour there will be a significant number of school children, likely to be returning home from Baden Powell School.
4.11In this respect it is proposed to work with the school in identifying those children who would be likely to cross in this way and to then seek to develop individual travel plans for them to use the many other safe alternative routes which do currently exist, not only at the junction but at the two signal controlled crossings on Bournemouth Road close by.
5.Other Issues
5.1A local residents’ group is currently developing proposals to create a Home Zone for the Courthill area, and indeed discussions have recently taken place between the group, Ward Members and officers. The principle of these Home Zones is to be welcomed, although the very real issue of identifying the all important funding still has to be resolved.
6.The Way Forward
6.1These proposals have been developed to address and enhance travel reliability by reducingthe congestion issues which exist at the junction. The implications of doing nothing are listed in item 3.3. It is also clear from the results of the consultation that some local people are concerned about the implications of these proposals for the local area.
6.2The proposals set out in this report recognise that more work needs to be done before the scheme can be fully implemented. In this respect it is suggested that, subject to approval, the schemes at Ashley Cross and Station Road are progressed first, with this proposed scheme for Bournemouth Road / Richmond Road junction being undertaken during the 2009/10 financial year. Limitations on budgets and staff resources means that all three schemes could not be progressed immediately in any event.
Julian McLaughlin
Head of Transportation Services
Appendix A - Drawing No. JC0611/15 - Richmond Road / Bournemouth Road
Appendix B - Responses to Consultation
Appendix C - Existing traffic flows
Appendix D - Existing pedestrian movements
Appendix E - Minutes from 26 September 2007 Area Committee
Appendix F -Minutes from 28 May 2008 Area Committee
Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact:
Graham Spicer (01202) 262072
TAG310708T3F
APPENDIX B ( cont. )
A total of 318 responses to the consultation were received. A summary of the results is as follows:
- Agree with Bournemouth Road/Richmond Road proposals:
24% in favour
74% against
- Agree with Courthill Traffic Calming:
33% in favour
53% against
More detailed information on a road by road basis is shown as Appendix B.
177 further written comments were provided. Of these the most significant were as follows:
Humps not required-34
Allow right turn-24
Retain St Osmund’s crossing-18
Make Courthill Road one way-15
Include 20 mph zone-14
Extend traffic calming-11
Change existing one way roads-9
Copies of all of the responses will be provided to Members before this Group meeting.
Extract from Minutes of Canford Cliffs/ Penn Hill Area Committee – 26 September 2007
MAJOR JUNCTION IMPROVEMENT – BOURNEMOUTH ROAD/ RICHMOND ROAD
Steve Dean, Transportation Services, presented a report and stated that proposals had now been drawn up for improvements at the following junctions:
- Richmond Road/Bournemouth Road
- Station Road/Commercial Road
- Ashley Cross
Before being considered formally by the Transportation Advisory Group, and the Portfolio Holder, local views on these schemes were being sought through Area Committees. As the first of these was within the Penn Hill Ward, details were presented to the Meeting as follows:
(a)Creation of central pedestrian refuges on three approaches. This allowed pedestrians to cross the halfway point of the road within the normal signal cycle times and hence avoided the current “all red” pedestrian phase which was inefficient in traffic terms;
(b)In accommodating an island for the Bournemouth Road leg by St Osmunds Church, it would be necessary to ban the right turn here into Richmond Road. There was insufficient space here, both for an approach lane and indeed, within the junction itself. The amount of traffic right turning here was not significant – 12 per hour in the morning peak and 46 per hour in the evening peak. It was anticipated that this traffic would find other routes within the local road network.
(c)Controlled pedestrian phases, activated only when a demand was made, would be available on all but the St Osmunds Road leg.
(d)These proposals would achieve an overall 10–15% improvement in vehicle capacity through the Junction at peak times.
Steve Dean finally stated that, whilst the Transportation Advisory Group had ultimate responsibility for recommending strategic schemes, within the Council’s Transport Capital Programme, local views on the detail of these were extremely valuable and the Area Committees were ideally positioned to provide this input. He drew residents’ attention to the plan displayed at the rear of the hall and invited people to fill in a comment sheet and return them in the envelopes supplied
Councillor Mrs Deas felt that it would have been beneficial if these works had been carried out at the same time as the recent refurbishment of the traffic signals and suggested that this should be considered for future schemes.
Mr Stewart opposed the banning of right turning movements from Bournemouth Road into Richmond Road and if this was implemented, he asked what alternatives would be available for people who did not know the area. There was not a good alternative route from Bournemouth Road through to Ashley Road.
Steve Dean, Transportation Services, responded by stating that the proposals were trying to improve capacity at the Junction and the choice was to either expand the Junction or change movements which were disruptive. He felt that the pedestrian crossing in two parts would assist and give more capacity. Right turns were disproportionately disruptive for the amount of traffic using them and added to congestion along the Corridor. Capacity was improved if turning movements were banned.
The Chairman stated that this was part of a larger scheme for the Corridor and the main priority was congestion and this needed to be addressed.
A resident stated that he wished to object to the ban into Richmond Road. He had never seen any hold-up at this point and this ban would not affect capacity and would be a disadvantage to those who currently used it. There was a need to see statistics of usage before deciding on any proposals.
Mr Dowty also objected to the proposals and felt that residents in the Courthill Road/Queens Road area would similarly object as they would be affected by displaced traffic. He felt that the proposed pedestrian crossing arrangements would make it more difficult to cross the road and this would take longer and many people would not wait at the lights and would merely cross the road causing danger. He was happy to assist with consultation with residents in this area.
Steve Dean stated that the Transportation Advisory Group would consider this Scheme and stated that residents could come along to the meeting to make representations. He further stated that banning the turn into Richmond Road would have to be advertised and wider consultation would therefore take place.
A resident felt that no analysis of traffic flows had been made available and that facts were essential before any decision could be made.
Mr De Lieu stated that this was a pedestrian unfriendly scheme.
RESOLVED that the comments set out above be forwarded to the Transportation Advisory Group for its consideration.
Extract from Minutes of Area Committee meeting – 28 May 2008
RICHMOND ROAD/ BOURNEMOUTH ROAD JUNCTION IMPROVEMENTS
Steve Dean, Transportation Services, presented a report on behalf of the Head of Transportation Services, which summarised the response to the recent consultation on proposals for improvements at the Bournemouth Road/Richmond Road junction.
The Meeting was advised that the Government had developed and agreed with the Local Government Association, four shared priorities for the delivery of Transport Strategy around which the Local Transport Plan was structured. Government funding was provided over the course of the Local Transport Plan to implement schemes which delivered the objectives of – Congestion, Accessibility, Road Safety and Air Quality. The Strategy for delivery under the heading of congestion included a number of strands, with one of the main features being the improvement of traffic flow along several Prime Transport Corridors.
The first of the Prime Transport Corridors to be considered was the main route between Poole and Bournemouth Town Centres. Proposals had been drawn up and were currently being considered for improvements at the Richmond Road/Bournemouth Road junction, at the Commercial Road/Station Road junction and at Ashley Cross. The Proposals had been designed to improve vehicular capacity at these junctions and, thereby, to reduce delays and pollution. The designs also helped to improve pedestrian and cycle safety where possible. In respect of reducing delays on the main road, in terms of traffic movement it was seen that buses were the main beneficiaries.
The main features of the proposals for the Bournemouth Road/Richmond Road/St Osmunds Road junction were:-
(a)the creation of central pedestrian refuges on three approaches
(b)In accommodating an island for the Bournemouth Road leg by StOsmund’s Church, it was necessary to ban the right turn into Richmond Road
(c)Controlled pedestrian phases, activated only when a demand was made, would be available on all but the St Osmund’s Road leg
(d)The Proposals would achieve an overall 10-15% improvement in vehicle capacity through the junction at peak times
(e)Traffic calming in the vicinity of Courthill First School, i.e., for Courthill Road/Palmerston Road/Queens Road and Warren Road to deter traffic from using this route as a result of the right turn ban into Richmond Road.
Steve Dean, Transportation Services, reported that consultation and public debate had already taken place on these proposals and the purpose of this Report was to inform Members of the results of the consultation so far, and to obtain the view of the Area Committee. Views would be reported to the Transportation Advisory Group on 31 July 2008, and thereafter the final decision on the Scheme would be made by the Transportation Portfolio Holder.
A total of 318 responses to the consultation had been received and a summary of the results was as follows:-
- Agree with Bournemouth Road/Richmond Road proposals:
24% in favour
74% against
- Agree with Courthill Road Traffic Calming:
33% in favour
53% against
The views of the Area Committee would be added to the consultation results and any further views from local residents (a local group had developed ideas which had yet to be presented), would be considered in relation to the Scheme before the meeting of Transportation Advisory Group. In view of the clear majority against traffic calming in Courthill Road, it was suggested that the School be re-consulted over any stand-alone proposals for a 20mph school zone.