Plans to make Bournemouth to Christchurch route safer for cyclists

Walking and cycling improvements between Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth and Jumpers Common to the north of Christchurch have been proposed "to make east-west journeys safer, easier and more enjoyable."

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council have divided the route into four sections.

About the improvements

Holdenhurst Road - Ashley Road :

• New and improved crossing points on Holdenhurst Road

• New two-way shared paths on both sides of Holdenhurst Road, between Station Roundabout and the Wellington Road Roundabout

• Junction layout revisions to give more priority to people walking and cycling, at the junctions of Holdenhurst Road and various adjoining roads

• Improvements along Windham Road and other local roads to provide a quiet route for cycling and walking, including upgraded speed humps, new raised table junctions, improved lighting and new wayfinding signage

Kings Park :

• Improvements at the Ashley Road entrance to the park, including light segregation (eg flexible poles) on existing cycle lane and reallocation of parking provision. Existing disabled spaces to be retained and relocated

• Existing shared path through the park improved, with dedicated walking and cycling space separated by a verge where possible, with new wayfinding signage and better crossings over roads

• Extension of the 20mph zone to cover all arms of Harewood Avenue roundabout

• Improvements to other paths through the park with widening, surfacing and vegetation clearance

• Improvements to the existing path through the residential neighbourhood around Sevenoaks Drive, with barriers removed and new wayfinding signage

• An alternative quiet route is being considered along Sevenoaks Drive and Walkwood Avenue

Chaseside - Iford Roundabout:

• Improvements along Chaseside, with new crossing points and a protected two-way cycle track on the northern side of the road

• Riverside Avenue junction improved, providing space for better crossing points

• New shared path on the north-east side of Castle Lane East, between Riverside Avenue and Iford Roundabout

• Junction layout revisions to give more priority to people walking and cycling at the junctions of Castle Lane East and Holdenhurst Avenue, Cheriton Avenue, Holmfield Avenue, Iford Close and Bridle Crescent

• The existing shared path through the woodland north of Castle Lane East would be improved by surfacing

• New protected space for cycling on the south-west side of Castle Lane East, between Riverside Avenue and Bridle Crescent

Riverside Avenue – Jumpers Common:

• A new shared path between the existing paths near Riverside Avenue and the bridge crossing point

• The existing footpath upgraded to a shared path for walking and cycling between the bridge that crosses the river and Stour Way, with new wayfinding signage and surfacing, subject to agreement with the golf course operator

Have your say

BCP Council want to hear your opinions on the proposals for this route. You can do this by participating in their survey - the closing date for responses is 31 March 2021.

Complete a survey

There are also some aspects of the programme which apply to all routes and sections:

E-scooters

BCP Council is participating in the Department for Transport’s 2021 trial for rental electric scooters. The rental scooters can be used on roads, signed cycle lanes and shared cycle/pedestrian facilities in Bournemouth and Poole. Private e-scooters are still, and will remain, illegal for use on public roads and cycleways. Find out more from the BCP website(External link).

Biodiversity

Where the removal of trees or other vegetation may be needed as part of the TCF proposals to deliver sustainable transport infrastructure, we will be aiming to deliver biodiversity net gain. This means we would undertake new planting, for example, at the same place or another location in south east Dorset to ensure that habitats which may be affected by our programme are in a better overall state than before the work started. We will work closely with relevant statutory environmental bodies and other groups, including council parks and tree officers, to assess the impact on any trees or vegetation as the proposals develop.

Wayfinding

As part of the proposals to encourage more walking and cycling across south-east Dorset, a network of wayfinding signage is being introduced. More information about the works that are already underway is available from the BCP website(External link). Additional locations where signage is being considered are identified in the detailed maps available as part of this consultation.

Maintenance

The proposed TCF routes would be managed within BCP and Dorset Councils’ ongoing maintenance programmes.

• cycling
• Walking
• Bournemouth
• christchurch