Penn Hill Avenue Cycleways

BOROUGH OF POOLE

TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY GROUP – 3 APRIL 2008

REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ON

PENN HILL AVENUE CYCLEWAYS

1.Purpose of the Report and Policy Context

1.1To consider proposals for provision of cycle lanes along Penn Hill Avenue.

1.2The Capital programme implements schemes which support the Transportation strategy and delivers the targets set out in the Local Transport Plan and Best Value Performance Plan.

1.3The development of cycle lanes is in line with the Borough’s policy on cycling, which states that a safe, secure and convenient network of cycleways will be developed and maintained to encourage this form of transport.

1.4Encouragement of cycling supports sustainable travel and promotes healthy lifestyle

2.Recommendations

2.1It is recommended that approval be given to:

(a)the scheme as detailed in Section 4 of this Report.

(b)the advertisement of the associated Traffic Regulation Orders.

3.Background

3.1The current Capital Programme includes cycle facilities for Darbys Corner, Cabot Lane, Waterloo Road and also the continuation of the Sandbanks Road cycle lanes through to the Sandbanks. These will be the subject of future Reports.

3.2It has been identified that the corridor along Penn Hill Avenue through to Station Road and Ashley Cross would provide a direct route beneficial to cyclists. The main features of such a scheme would be :

A useful cycleway link in the East – West corridor between Poole and Bournemouth
A useful local link for the increasing number of people living in the flats being built in the vicinity accessing local shops, restaurants, farmers market at Penn Hill, etc as well as onward journeys to Bournemouth and the beaches
Close vicinity of Uplands School, St Osmund’s Road who have started a programme of cycle training for students this year
Links with the improved cycle facilities on the through route at Penn Hill signals and on to the existing cycle lanes at Lindsay Road.
Potential to link with Poole to Bournemouth ‘quiet route’ at the far end of St Osmund’s Road

4.Scheme Assessment and Proposals

4.1Only on road cycle facilities rather than shared footway / cycleway have been considered here, an approach of which the Cycling Liaison Group (CLAG) are generally supportive on the basis that they provide the most direct route and are not disrupted by side roads. Another issue here is that the footways front a large number of residential properties, many now developed into multiple occupancy. Cycling close to property boundaries in this context could lead to safety hazards for pedestrians accessing their properties.

Penn Hill Avenue (Kings Avenue to St Osmund’s Road)

4.2Penn Hill Avenue comprises a straight road of consistent 10.5m carriageway width and footways which vary between 2.2m and 2.4m wide. It’s extent is shown on Drawing No. JC0712/03 at Appendix A.

4.3In order to provide advisory on road cycle lane in both directions within the available carriageway width it will be necessary to remove on street parking on one side of Penn Hill Avenue. This layout would be similar to the way cycle lanes were recently introduced along Wimborne Road, with one lane passing out beyond the line of parked cars with the benefit of a safety zone.

4.4It is suggested that parking be removed on the North side of Penn Hill Avenue by the introduction of “At Any Time” waiting restrictions for the entire length of the road. This is feasible because all the properties on the North side of the road have space within the curtilage of their property to park a vehicle(s).

4.5A survey of parking along Penn Hill Avenue has recently been completed. A count of vehicles parked at the kerbside was carried out on two occasions during daytime. The highest number recorded at any time was 41 No., which was divided approximately equally (20 and 21) on both sides of the road. Further counts were undertaken on a weekday evening when a total of 23 No. vehicles were counted, and on a weekend evening when the total was 53 No. (25 No. north side and 28 No. south side).

4.6The length of this section of Penn Hill Avenue is approx. 420m (excluding driveways), which is sufficient for approx. 70 – 80 vehicles on each side. From this it can be seen that there is overall more than enough capacity remaining if parking were taken away from one side. What will inevitably be lost, however, is the ability for everyone to be able to park immediately outside their own properties. The extent of this issue will no doubt be made clear on advertising these proposals for the legal orders.

4.7Based on the 10.5m carriageway width, the layout of the road, with approximate dimensions, would then be as follows,

1.8m Southside parking bays

0.5m buffer zone

1.2m advisory cycle lane

2.9m carriageway in each direction

1.2m advisory cycle lane

4.8Plans (Drawing Nos. P02-07-03/06B Sheets 1 and 2) showing this proposal are included at Appendix B. The proposal would include build-outs at the junction with Spur Hill Avenue. This enables the stop line in Spur Hill Avenue to be moved further out and will improve visibility, particularly of cyclists, for vehicles emerging. They will also assist in the demarcation of parking bays.

4.9It will be necessary to advertise a TRO for “No Waiting At Any Time” restrictions on the North side of Penn Hill Avenue. Any objections to this would need to be considered by a future meeting of this Group. It is also proposed to remove small sections of existing waiting restriction on the South side in order to maximise available parking space.

Woodside Road, Kingsbridge Road, Osborne Road and Station Road

4.10The available carriageway width in these roads varies between 6.7m and 8.0m, which is substantially narrower than the 10.5m minimum width required to incorporate two way cycle lanes. Adjacent footways are also too narrow to consider road widening.

4.11Furthermore the fact that Osborne Road and Station Road comprise of varying gradient and alignment it is not therefore considered that cycle lanes could be included in these roads.

Other options considered

4.12Other options have been assessed in order to assist cyclists, including the signing of ‘quiet routes’ through the nearby roads of Sandecotes Road, Balmoral Road, and Sandringham Road. However, they are winding and quite steep in places. It is thought unlikely, therefore, that any cyclists would in reality regularly use these roads as an alternative to staying on the main route.

Consultation with CLAG

4.13CLAG have been consulted about these proposals. Their general view was :

They would like cycle provision along the whole route, including west of St Osmund’s Road. However they recognise the constraints which exist in these roads, and themselves could not come up with suitable alternatives.
They are supportive of creating cycle lanes in Penn Hill Avenue as proposed in this report although expressed disappointment that the 2m lane widths recommended by Cycle England were not being proposed here. To achieve this would involve the loss of parking on both sides which, in the circumstances, is considered unacceptable.

Views of the Canford Cliffs and Penn Hill Area Committee

4.14The proposals were reported to the above Area Committee on 5 March 2008 and they asked this Group to give consideration to the following issues when considering the scheme,

(a)There may be some parking displacement into other roads such as Mayfield Avenue and Kings Avenue. The need for parking will also increase due to the development occurring in the area.

Response – As mentioned in Para. 4.6 there is more than enough parking provision on one side of the road for any displaced by this proposal. All properties in the road have off street parking, which may be better utilised following installation of waiting restrictions as these will improve visibility when exiting driveways. As regards future development, any planning decisions will take into account the availability of off street parking provided by the development, as well as that existing on street at that time.

(b)Pavement cycling may increase as a result of installing cycle lanes, and this would not be enforced by the Police.

Response – There is no evidence to suggest that pavement cycling would increase, in fact it is more likely to decrease once dedicated on-road cycle lanes are provided.

(c)Concerns were expressed as to the condition of the road surface in Penn Hill Avenue and the fact that it may be dangerous to cyclists.

Response – Penn Hill Avenue is subject to the same inspection and maintenance regime as is used for other, similar, roads in the Borough. If this determines that intervention is necessary then remedial work will be undertaken.

(d)There were concerns that isolated cycle lanes are proposed, but there is no provision at either end.

Response – Para. 3.2 lists several facilities that these cycle lanes would link to.

(e)Alternative routes such as Caledon Road/ Birchwood Road should be used as these were safer.

Response – Experience has shown that cyclists would prefer to use the most direct route if at all possible, i.e. Penn Hill Avenue in this case. However, this scheme does not prevent cyclists using alternative routes if they prefer.

(f)There was some concern about the safety aspects of the layout, with a cycle lane being proposed between a parking bay and a main traffic lane. However, there was also some support for this as the public are now familiar with the arrangement in Wimborne Road and Sandbanks Road.

Response – This arrangement appears to work well in Wimborne Road.

Finance and Monitoring

4.15The estimated cost of the scheme, including advertising the waiting restrictions, is £37,000.

4.16Adequate provision for this funding will be made in the 2008/09 Capital Programme.

4.17The effectiveness of the scheme will be monitored as part of the Borough’s standard monitoring programme.

Julian McLaughlin

Head of Transportation Services

Appendix A – Drawing No. JC0712/03 – Location Plan

Appendix B – Drawing Nos. P02-07-03/06B Sheets 1 and 2

Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact :

Graham Spicer (01202) 262072