BOROUGH OF POOLE

HAMWORTHY EAST, HAMWORTHY WEST AND POOLE TOWN AREA COMMITTEE – 3 DECEMBER 2008

REPORT OF HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

ON PROPOSALS FOR LOCALISED WIDENING OF SELDOWN BRIDGE

1.0Matter for Consideration

1.1.To consider proposals to widen the carriageway opposite the northbound bus stop on Seldown Bridge.

2. Recommendation

2.1That this Committee,

2.1.1Note the changes being made to the E bus service to reduce waiting time on Seldown Bridge.

2.1.2Approve the carriageway widening, as shown on Drawing No. JC0809/101A at Appendix A.

  1. Background
  2. The northbound bus stop was installed on Seldown Bridge in 2004 as part of the Route One service to serve the new Crest Nicholson development. Funding for this was secured as part of a S106 Legal Agreement.
  3. Subsequently, Corfe House students’ accommodation was opened in 2007 by Bournemouth University. At that time the University contracted a limited stop, half hourly service with Wilts & Dorset Bus Company, to link Corfe House with the university campus. It operates solely during the University term time. Although Service E is provided for the university students it is registered as a local bus service and is therefore available for anyone to use.
  4. Service E uses the same stop on Seldown Bridge as Route One. However, being at the terminal point of the route, this service has to wait at this stop until the timetabled departure.
  5. There have been a number of complaints regarding the time the E service waits at the Seldown Bridge bus stop and the resultant inconvenience to other road users.
  6. There are a couple of reported issues identified as causing problems,
  7. Buses layover at this stop with their engines running, causing unnecessary fumes and noise.
  8. Buses waiting at the stop cause congestion at certain times of the day because it is not possible to overtake them if traffic is coming in the opposite direction. This adds to the pollution in the area.
  9. In order to deal with the overtaking problem it was originally proposed that a lay-by be built for the buses. However, this solution was rejected, as it would move the buses closer to the residential.

3.7A meeting was undertaken with Ward Members in July to discuss the issues. Subsequently, officers met with W&D and the University to ascertain whether changes could be made to minimise the reported problems.

  1. Proposals
  2. Following discussions with W&D and the University the following changes have been introduced to the service from September 2008,
  3. The timetable has been reconfigured so that the bus now waits longer at the University end of the route, rather than at the Seldown stop.
  4. In addition, following requests from members of the public, the service now calls at all stops along the route in the off peak. This means that the end to end journeys times have been lengthened, with less waiting at the end of the route. More members of the public are now using the service and this has been well received by residents in Alder Road who requested a better service.
  5. A consequence of these changes is that the waiting time at the Seldown stop for this half hourly service is reduced from 5 minutes to 3 minutes. The revised timetable has reduced the number of complaints received from members of the public about buses waiting at the stop.
  6. Another positive development will come following the retendering of this bus service contract next year. The contract will specify that buses must comply with the latest environmental standards, i.e. they will be fully wheelchair accessible and meet the latest noise and emissions standards.
  7. To deal with the problem of congestion, caused by difficulty in overtaking buses waiting at the stop, it is now proposed that a small carriageway widening be undertaken opposite the bus stop. Details of this are shown on Drawing No. JC0809/101A at Appendix A.
  8. The effect of the widening would mean that some of the existing landscaped verge is converted to footway. Efforts will be taken to relocate the recently planted trees wherever possible. These changes would allow provision for a 3.2m wide bus stop and two 3m wide traffic lanes.
  9. Finance
  10. Estimated cost of the proposal is £69,000, for which there is adequate provision in the 2008/ 09 Capital Programme.
JULIAN McLAUGHLIN

Head of Transportation Services

Appendix A - Drawing No. JC0809/101A – Seldown Bridge carriageway widening – not available electronically

Name and Telephone Number of Officer Contact

Graham Spicer (01202 262072)

H&P31208T3A

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