Active travel scheme not backed as it would result in greater delays for cars in Totnes
Councillors will go on a site visit to assess concerns over a dangerous junction in Totnes that residents say needs altering
Councillors will go on a site visit to assess concerns over a dangerous junction in Totnes that residents say needs altering – after highways officers said that a scheme that would promote active travel shouldn’t be progressed as it would lead to greater traffic delays for cars.
Calls had previously been made for the improvements at the Plymouth Road and Western bypass junction after back in October 2018, an 11-year-old was run over by a car.
The air ambulance was called to the scene after the child was hit by the car as he attempted to cross the road, with neither him nor the driver able to see the other due to the road layout.
A report had come to the South Hams Highways and Traffic Orders Committee on Friday morning on the proposed changes, but officers had recommended though that the scheme to introduce a signal controlled crossing on the north arm of the junction not be progressed in light of the impact on traffic delays and air quality it would lead to.
An option for an amended crossing had come forward late in the day from officers as a suggested alternative, but had neither been costed or had the traffic implications of it been reviewed, which meant officers couldn’t give a complete picture of what impact on the road it would have had.
Meg Booth, chief officer for highways, infrastructure, development and waste, in her report to the meeting, said that it was recommended that in light of the impact on traffic delays and air quality a scheme to introduce a signal controlled crossing on the north arm of the junction between the Western Bypass and Plymouth Road in Totnes is not progressed.
She added: “The casualty record does not justify the funding of a scheme from the Casualty Reduction Programme and funding could come from a mixture of s106 funding and signal maintenance budgets, although this may not be sufficient to fund the whole of the scheme, and would mean that the s106 funding is not available for other schemes in the community.
“As the scheme would result in greater delays in traffic flows at peak times, resulting in longer queues and impacting on air quality, on balance it is recommended that the scheme is not progressed.”
The report that while the identified scheme would have a positive benefit for pedestrians as it will aid crossing of this junction on the northern side, and changing the pedestrian crossing facilities at this junction may increase the number pedestrian journeys from the Plymouth Road area into Totnes, it would have a negative impact for car drivers as it will cause additional delays for traffic movements at the junction.
The report added that other than the incident involving the 11-year-old, there have been no other recorded pedestrian collisions at this junction in the past five years, while John Fewings, Neighbourhood Highways Manager (South), said that there were 68 sites across Devon which had five or more collisions in the same time period.
He added: “Adding additional pedestrian phases to this junction would increase the delays for traffic and increase traffic congestion on the Western Bypass impacting on air quality. It would put the junction over capacity and lead to lengthy queues.”
The meeting heard that a 96 second signalling system could lead to 200m of queues, while a 120 second signalling system would lead to less traffic delays but longer waits for pedestrians, only for councillors to say that if anyone wants to cross the road at present, they have to walk a long way around which takes much longer than two minutes.
Cllr Jacqui Hodgson, who represents the Totnes ward, said: “They just want something to allow people to cross at the moment as they cannot see around the corner so anyone who tries to get across is taking their lives into their hands. We are trying to promote active travel and get people out of their cars and this would help link the Follaton with the town.”
Anthea Lawson, a Totnes resident who has been calling for a safer crossing, prior to the meeting, had said: “Why must we wait for somebody else to get hurt before pedestrian access is taken seriously? This side of the junction is a daily nightmare on foot, and it’s terrifying with small children as well as for children learning to cross the road on their own, and for older people.’
“The reason for recommending that the committee reject the scheme is that it would slow the traffic flow with negative consequences for air quality. But they have been looking at a design for a ‘straight-across’ crossing where people could cross both directions of traffic in one go. Why not look at a design for a staggered crossing where pedestrians can push the button again in the middle, if that is what might make it work, rather than just declaring that it isn’t possible and telling us that, once again, they’re going to prioritise motor traffic?’”
Sylvia Dell, the Green Travel Coordinator for Totnes town council, added: “Now is the time to build on the public appetite to embrace active travel. It’s a win-win; it’s good for health, and enables people to leave their cars at home. The chief officer for highways is arguing that a crossing shouldn’t go in because it will diminish air quality.
“But that’s not the way to get cars off the road, which is what will ultimately improve air quality. For that, we have to get people walking, which means we must investigate all options to create a safe crossing.”
Cllr John Hart, leader of the council, called for a site visit. He said: “It is confusing. If councillors went and saw it when schools are operational so we can see what is going on, we will get a better feel for what is going on. This has been going on for three years so an extra three months won’t make a difference so we can get a true picture of what is happening.”
The HATOC unanimously agreed to a site visit which would take place before the schools break-up for the summer, and that for their October meeting, a further report outlining the impact and cost of a staggered signalised crossing on the north side of the junction would also be provided.