IMPACT OF THE BERMUDA CONNECTIVITY PROJECT ON CYCLING

Transcription

1 IMPACT OF THE BERMUDA CONNECTIVITY PROJECT ON CYCLING BBAG BRIEFING NOTE

2 CYCLING BBAG BRIEFING NOTE INTRODUCTION The note is part of a suite of documents that explain detrimental impacts of Warwickshire County Council s Bermuda Connectivity Project. It should be read in conjunction with Bermuda Connectivity Project Briefing Note prepared by Bermuda Bridge Action Group. BACKGROUND When A444 by-pass road was constructed, two bridges were put in place to safeguard access to Bermuda colliery. However, by time road opened in 1974, colliery had closed se bridges never saw use by vehicular traffic. In meantime, y have served as excellent traffic-free routes for walking cycling, particularly as y offer a grade-separated crossing of busy A444 dual carriageway. The Bermuda Connectivity Project (BCP) proposes that one of se bridges over A444 is opened up to all traffic road users in order to provide greater connectivity for local road network to provide a direct link between West Nuneaton Griff Roundabout. Unfortunately a lot of negative aspects of opening bridge to traffic to local community in particular cyclists have been ignored in pursuing growth fund monies to implement what is a congestion relieving scheme for A444 (see quotes opposite). The scheme will effectively create a Nuneaton Western Bypass through a residential community providing a short cut for commuters heavy goods vehicles heading through Arbury Ward between Coventry, M6 Motorway, Bermuda Park A5. The Bermuda Bridge Action Group is calling upon all cycling groups to get involved in forthcoming public consultation reject scheme proposals. WHY REJECT THE SCHEME? The BCP purports to improve conditions for cycling, but in fact very opposite will be achieved. Cyclists pedestrians already enjoy a traffic-free bridge across A444, however ir enjoyment of this facility will be severely diminished if bridge is opened up to all traffic. Even cycle routes that do not make use of bridge will be negatively affected with no meaningful mitigation currently proposed. Bermuda Park Railway JMP Station Bridge Transport Feasibility Study Statement, for Atkins Warwickshire (18th May 2012): County Council: 1.6 " The density of 3.51 population - "Construction of level development, of activity in as well corridor as opening is set to it grow to substantially traffic will produce will air create increasing noise pollution dem increase for transport. roads accidents The route already congestion suffers from around traffic site. congestion The development future will developments also affect will residents increase car of Nuneaton use due congestion to increase unless of pollutants re is a good related quality to traffic public emission." transport 4.2 alternative. - "The assessments 3.15 Given indicate that anticipated limited low bus level of operational traffic which is patronage anticipated benefits to be would generated occur by from opening development, of it bridge is in considered form of that a sustainable analysis of accident modes bridge data focuses given that on cycling accidents involving walking are non-motorised already catered road for on users an (cycle informal basis. Table pedestrians) "The above analysis assumes that no new benefits accrue from provision of cycle ways as se journeys can already be made."

3 Improved Environment for Cyclists? The Growth Fund Business Case for project produced by Warwickshire County Council (WCC) specifically states that general accessibility will be improved for general traffic, freight, bus rail services whilst also improving facilities for pedestrians cyclists. This last point is incorrect on several counts will result in removal of facilities for cyclists. The Bermuda Bridge is already well used by cyclists pedestrians provides traffic free connectivity over A444 from Western Sourn Nuneaton to employment sites at Bermuda Park. The improved cycle lanes along St Georges Way actually already exist along a road that is currently only used by a few heavy goods vehicles from adjacent employment sites with no commuter traffic. Sustainable transport modes to new train station will not be improved will actually become more dangerous for cyclists. It is widely established that for most people primary barrier to uptake of cycling as an everyday mode of transport is absence of facilities that enable m to ride in comfort away from large volumes of traffic. Leaving Bermuda Road as a quiet residential cul-de-sac with traffic-free bridge link to existing cycle lanes on St Georges Way is best possible solution to encourage sustainable modes of transport. There are already cycling routes linking to current route from Harefield Lane, Bermuda Park, George Elliot Hospital Hill Top. The high volume of traffic expected to be routed across bridge would sever se routes, particularly one from Bermuda Park George Elliot Hospital. Bermuda Road is already popular with cyclists due to low levels of traffic conflict with vehicular traffic. Improved Connectivity to Bermuda Park Railway Station? The improved connectivity to station already exists ( quotes opposite below are taken from Bermuda Park Railway Station Transport Assessment). The Bermuda Park Railway Station Transport Statement produced by Atkins (18th May 2012) states in Section Whilst all road traffic accidents are regrettable, data gives no indication of specific concerns relating to level or nature/pattern of [collisions] in Bermuda Park Railway Station Transport Statement, Atkins (18th May 2012): To north of station, areas such as Attenborough, Heath End Hill Top are all within a 3km walk / cycle distance from station At norrn end of St Georges Way carriageway crosses over A444 via a bridge. Access to bridge by motorised traffic is currently blocked by an earth bund cycles pedestrian access has been maintained 3.29 An advisory cycle lane is located on both sides of St Georges Way from 100 metres north of Griff Roundabout to bend at norrn end of St Georges Way. The cycle lane n connects to Hill Top residential estate via a shared use pedestrian/cycle track which crosses over rail track via a footbridge.

4 immediate area surrounding proposed site in relation to proposed development. The potential slight increase in traffic levels pedestrian/cycle movements related to proposed development is unlikely to increase accident volumes within immediate area surrounding site. Clearly with St Georges Way being opened up as a through route providing a congestion relieving bypass this would no longer be true would change above conclusions significantly posing a significant safety risk to both cyclists pedestrians. The area proposed to benefit from new link already has ideal cycling access to new station as noted in Section 3.26 of train station Transport Assessment while promoted benefit of Bermuda Connectivity Project of a new cycle link to Hill Top is already in existence as noted in Section 3.29 of same report. Destroying local cycle network The A444 is a significant barrier to east-west movement in south of Nuneaton to anyone riding a cycle. Bermuda Bridge is only segregated crossing point for cycles between Coventry Canal at Chilvers Coton, Griff Roundabout traffic signals. It refore provides a critical function in local cycle network as a link between National Cycle Network route 52 (NCN52) Bermuda Park (via Coventry Road cycle track Middlemarch Road). Once Bermuda Bridge St George s Way are open to through traffic, re would be no quiet cycle route between Bermuda Park Central Eastern Nuneaton. Bermuda Park is a key employment site in Nuneaton. Existing paths along former Croft Colliery railway have recently been upgraded, se provide a useful cycle link from West Nuneaton to Bermuda Road, thus onwards to Bermuda Park NCN52. Thus, increase in traffic along Bermuda Road would result in loss of a quiet cycle route link to Western Nuneaton. Once Bermuda Bridge is lost as a safe cycling route, nearest segregated crossings at Chilvers Coton Griff are 800m 1000m away respectively. This level of displacement is significantly outside Dutch best practice where parallel cycle routes are around m apart, contrary to 2014 London Cycle Design Stards advice on cycle network porosity mesh density. Off-road quiet cycle routes in vicinity of Bermuda Bridge NCN Or cycle routes

5 Or Technical Issues Opening Bermuda Bridge to traffic as put forward by WCC is not in accordance with guidance within Department for Transport Local Transport Note 2/08 on Cycle Infrastructure Design, nor recent Chartered Institute of Highways Transpiration s Planning for Cycling documentation. In fact link created by scheme will be very damaging to safety comfort of pedestrians cyclists: The carriageway over bridge is only 7.2m with footways measuring 3m, including parapet fence. This leaves neir sufficient room for on-carriageway lanes 1 or segregation, nor suitable width for a shared footway cycleway. Even if carriageway space were reallocated to create a wider shared footway cycleway, this would lead to conflict between pedestrians cyclists, loss of cycle route continuity. St George s Way currently has an advisory cycle lane in each direction (1.5m each way) remaining carriageway is undivided. This is good practice found in places like Nerls for lightly-trafficked access rural roads. However, once St George s way is opened to through traffic, this arrangement is not appropriate for higher volumes expected yet this has not been acknowledged by WCC nor has it been made clear how y proposed to mitigate this. The residential areas of Bermuda Road are typically 6 to 6.5m wide. Opening route to all traffic will cause a significant volume of traffic from whole of West of Nuneaton to divert on to this route rar than use purpose-built A444 bypass ( route via Bermuda Road is 600m shorter has no major junctions when compared to A444 route). As a result re will be a significant increase in risk to safety of pedestrians particularly cyclists from this volume speed of traffic on what is currently a very lightly used cul-de-sac route. There is insufficient width to provide an advanced cycle lane on approach to proposed traffic signal junction between Bermuda Road Heath End Road. Beyond Bermuda area itself, additional traffic drawn to use bridge will make use of residential roads such as Church Road, Northumberl Avenue, Westbury Road Raywoods as a means of accessing Bermuda Road. These routes are already popular rat-runs refore conditions for cycling on se roads will made even worse by additional traffic flows. 1 WCC Highway Stard Details:

6 THE ALTERNATIVES The quality of existing cycling pedestrian environments will be severely detrimentally impacted upon by opening up of bridge over A444 to all traffic users. This traffic would include a significant volume of high speed commuters heavy goods vehicles from industrial park accessing A5 M6 Motorway. Through traffic will monopolise use of bridge, marginalising cyclists rendering existing cycle ways routes hazardous potentially fatal. THE A444 CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT However re are alternatives. The same scheme promoters (WCC CWLEP) have A444 Corridor Improvements project: Implementing this project would solve all congestion issues on A444 allow for economic growth all envisage development. In fact Priority 4 of Strategic Economic Plan also has a plan to introduce a North South Sustainable corridor aiming to link Nuneaton to Coventry beyond. The proposals achieve this except that re is a missing link between Nuneaton Town Centre Bermuda Park due to A444 corridor. We would suggest that current route via St Georges Way, a traffic free bridge a lightly trafficked Bermuda Road would complete this project with small highway improvements to Heath End Road to link into footway that runs between Aviemore Close (near Heath End Road) Prince s Avenue providing access to Town Centre avoiding heavily trafficked radial routes. This project would allow Bermuda Road to stay a sustainable transport route. On this basis we hope that cycle groups will review scheme proposals in more detail object to Warwickshire County Council in regard to opening bridge to traffic at Bermuda Connectivity Project public consultation in June As shown above introduction of traffic onto Bermuda Bridge will only have a detrimental impact upon traffic free environment already used by cyclists pedestrians will result in possible sustainable benefits associated with opening of new train station not being achieved. It is better for strategic traffic to remain on A444 dual carriageway bypass which has no facilities for cyclists or pedestrians to keep strategic local commuter away from ideal conditions for cycling pedestrians that already exist along Bermuda Road St Georges Way. Coventry Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Warwickshire County Council Strategic Economic Plan, Outline Major Transport Scheme Business Case ( A444 Corridor Improvements Coton Arches Roundabout to George Eliot Hospital): "The scheme achieves its primary objective of addressing all queuing congestion issues on A444 corridor at this location. Additionally, scheme provides capacity for NBBC Local Plan growth over plan period (up to 2028). The scheme also has sufficient capacity to accommodate significant furr growth. BERMUDABRIDGEAGP@BTINTERNET.COM