Summary of Current Schemes
Seems that to make sense of everything thats going on a summary would be helpful, heres a round up of current works. Reason I am adding this is in response to some enquiries by Twitter where contacts asked about putting a list of all BHAT priorities together, this might not be worthwhile simply because individuals personal priorities wont ever match an authorities multiple worklists. Anyway hope this is helpful, Highways and Officers are constantly juggling the schemes, reason being that funding is always coming from different places, at different times. You cant imagine how many different organisations have to be co-ordinated to deliver projects, view it like any workplace project except with this one your parent company, DFT, is always messing you about. We hope the formation of Active Travel England will help, they will hold the budget, inspect and approve schemes drawn up with LTN1/20 ,inspect Highways Authorities and review major planning applications. If you want to contribute leave commments or get in touch bhactivetravelforum@gmail.com
BH Area work.
Pre- TCF, LCWIP and EATF, there have been several schemes in development that are now coming to finalisation outside of the big funding wins, consider these first and where BHAT fitted in with them.
Wallisdown West. Completing more of the East West road called the Wallisdown Corridor, PDFs and info here and written about here
this continues from the nearby Boundary Lane Roundabout that is being completed now. Why is it of interest? the Forum were asked May 01 to look over designs for Wallisdown West, which are of a standard comparable to the Castle Lane West work completed as part of the LSTF funds a few years ago. Very good with as much protected cycleway as is physically possible, whatever you think of Castle Lane west its interesting that the scheme features in LTN1/20 photographs as exemplary work. The same designer now with WSP working on Wallisdown west here is a great benefit to BH area and the BCP. Consider this scheme that will shortly be given official communications and press release a precusor to what the regulations now are within LTN 1/20, its going to look different from Boundary and rather than shared tracks will be to the aspirations of BHAT members we found in our early 2020 consultation. We would hope that from now on, these sorts of schemes are the norm for the area, its proven that creating mode shift, i.e making cycleways as quality as possible as seen all over Europe will enable the aims of the Governments own Gear Change manual now the blueprint for future UK travel. It will certainly be an education for the travelling public when these innovations start appearing on the ground. Cabot Lane/ Broadstone way – this isnt a major redevelopment however will include new pedestrian crossings and advance activation cycle junction traffic lights. Holes bay/ Bouy roundabout, new crossing here to bring people over the dual carriageway from Holes Bay North onto Castleman Trailway (or back)
Also outside BCP work below- Leigh Road, consulted on widely June 2019, we met with DC last week to discuss progress of this.
What is also going on right now?
Shorter Term work of EATF (Emergency Active Travel Fund ) work, 2 tranches of work. Outlined here
This came about in 09 May, with G.Shapps announcement inviting bids from Councils, do you think that Councils should have to compete for funding to do their work? Ill leave that question with you. Authorities all over U.K are waiting to hear back from DFT about funding awards, there is 80% of the total EATF unused, and it was supposed to have been given by ‘late summer’ So we await any news on that and what may be decided as action from the new cabinet of BCP, with its new Transportation Portfolio Holder. Summary – 2020 COVID related work. If you have suggestions for scheme ideas like this send them to us. BHAT are in conversation with several local area residents about the formulation of LTN plans, as is much of our work in background, informing and giving people advice.
LCWIP. Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. this has been in development since early 2019
and is due to be completed end of 2020, to be approved by Cabinet early 2021. we had an update on this last meeting, and looks to be good timing linked to the TCF funding wins of March this year. This although in preparation before will feed into the TCF routes that have the cash attributed.
Which brings us on to:-
The biggest piece of funding ever won by our area Council for road improvements awarded March 2020. Announcements are coming soon via official comms, we have suggested a number of things, including making short films of members and others that are leading the way already like Adam Practice Poole. Organisations that are pro- Active are already involved with BHAT, it would be great to have some of these individuals that are local BH residents featured. It may seem amazing to you that we still need to sell the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, with all the attendant benefits that brings, but we do. This is a 3 year piece of work, S routes are the key travel corridors and have bus priority included. C routes are cycle/ walk related and may include back routes and cycleways away from roads. Its still unclear as to how this is all going to be mediated- but read back in this website to find out more about the overall plans. Its very likely that within this work some schemes will be written and then left until later, as the elements of design, procurement of ground staff and co-ordinating the utilities happens. Its a phenomenal task that requires lots of staff with technical expertise and we wish BCP the best with this. Overlap occurs with Dorset Council who are recruiting at the moment, designers and engineers arent that common and both Authorities will need as many staff as possible. Routes that cross the County border are C2 Bmth to Ferndown, S2 Bmth to Ferndown, S5 Poole to Ferndown, S7 Poole to Wimborne. We look forward to collaborating with designers and new Portfolio holder to be announced today, giving the user perspective in advance from the ground.
Its going to be an interesting 3 years!! Have a great week, Jason.
