Statutory consultation is underway as part of the legal process to permanently remove parking bays and introduce a cycle lane along Weymouth’s Custom House Quay.
Notices for the Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO) will be advertised this week, as Dorset Council looks to create a better mixed-use environment and a safer space for walking and cycling along the harbourside.
The Custom House Quay public realm scheme will also enhance the area for outside dining and improve air quality by reducing traffic along the route, while keeping access to the working harbour.
The TRO proposes:
- Creation of a restricted parking zone between St Mary Street and a point to the east of South Parade
- Installing an on-road cycle lane between St Mary Street and The Esplanade, with an easterly flow
- Introducing four new loading bays on Custom House Quay and one in Maiden Street, plus retaining the large loading bay by fish loading platform
- Installing a disabled bay (two spaces) near fish loading platform
- Removal of eleven parking spaces on Custom House Quay to the west of Pilgrims Way
- Removal of one parking space on the corner of Custom House Quay junction with the Esplanade
Comments from the TRO consultation will go to Dorset Council Western and Southern Area Planning Committee on 9 September and to Cabinet on 5 October, as part of the traffic order approval process.
Cllr Ray Bryan, Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment, said: “The removal of the disused railway lines has given us an opportunity to reconsider how Custom House Quay can be enjoyed.
“Although it remains a working harbour, the area maintains tremendous leisure value with residents and is an attraction for visitors for walking and dining.”
Earlier this year, over 1,400 people responded during a six-week public engagement, with 58.2 per cent supportive of the whole scheme and 21.5 per cent not supporting the entire scheme as outlined.
The responses showed a majority support for installing planters, seating and bollards, providing loading bays for businesses and harbour vessels, widening the footways, providing additional outdoor seating space for hospitality businesses and providing cycle parking in the area.
The proposals for a on road cycle lane split opinion, with 40 per cent in support, 50.3 per cent against and 9.7 per cent unsure of the proposal.
Cllr Bryan added: “We’ve carefully reviewed the comments received about the proposed cycle lane, which were primarily concerns about safety, and we’ve addressed many of these within the design.
“Road markings and signs along Custom House Quay and at each side road would highlight the presence of bikes to other road-users. A difference of paving at each junction will also alert drivers.
“Two-way cycling on roads that are otherwise one-way for vehicles are now widely used across the country – there are over 2,000 in London alone – and government guidelines carefully outline how and when they should be considered.
“The cycle lane on Custom House Quay would provide a valuable alternative means of travel through the town centre – helping keep residents active and reducing dependence on cars for some short journeys.
“It’s not suitable for bicycles to share the footway with pedestrians in this area. Bicycles heading into town are able to travel with the flow of vehicles in the road, but 1.5m-wide cycle lane would support people on bikes travelling towards the peninsula.
“The proposed cycle lane would also link to a route planned around the peninsula, which would connect with the permitted cycling on the esplanade – creating an attractive leisure network for families and visitors.”
Dorset Police, Weymouth Town Council and local Dorset Councillors have been consulted as part of the legal TRO process, with support given to the scheme.
Residents wishing to view or submit comments on the TRO can do so online from 8 July.
Where is the vehicular traffic that now parks along the harbourside supposed to go? Local residents will be very adversely affected, people staying in B & Bs will park, presumably on the peninsula? Paying the going rate? That won’t be popular with guests or proprietors. What provision for these, mainly, cars has been made in the plans? Although it is very ‘woke’ to ignore the needs of the motor car, they have to go somewhere and local residents who rely on the use of their own cars (especially during these covid times) surely have a right to be able to leave them somewhere they can be made use of without a 15 minute walk to retrieve them?
Sir
I really think that this should be totally pedestrianised.Cycling is becoming something of a religion and there is huge bias in favour of same when it comes to planning.
so peaceful superannuation without the fear,particularly for families,being down down or constantly buzzed by lycra clad cyclists on a mission.They are quite capable of pushing their bikes through this area.
Superannuation should read perambulation! And mown down! Apogies WGD
This will enhance the area for residents and visitors. It will increase the appeal of the lovely harbour area, help hospitality to thrive and improve air quality.
The reassurance that the changes were temporarily for the summer was therefore a mockery .
The two disabled spaces opposite Restaurant Les Enfants Terribles near Fish Quay are not fit for purpose. Not only are they still a considerable way from the main part of Custom House Quay but they are not suitable for WAVs (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles). The Quay side of the bays are blocked by the wall if you have a wide door on the near side, and exiting from the off side is into traffic. If you have a rear exiting vehicle with a ramp or a lift there is not the space to use it. Since the inception of the ‘temporary’ measures, the disabled bays have also been used and abused by trade vehicles.
It would be far more sensible and inclusive to allocate a proper sized marked out disabled bay where one of the central loading bays is, or create another bay for WAVs.
I am perturbed by the thought of acyclist going in the opposite direction along Custom house quay unless there is a distinct dividing barrier or bollards, a single white line will not be good enough, it will be too easy for either car or bike to cross into the others path, and I question is the area wide enough to maintain a harbourside path , cycle lane, road, path as well as some outdoor seating throughout the length. There is enough problem already with the seating outside the cafes and pubs for pushchairs with toddlers in-tow to get through. where the chairs are constantly eased nearer and nearer the kerb line. The plans talk of the cycle way connecting to the promanade but surely that only allowed before 10 and after 4.30. Personally i have always thought any cycling from Greenhill to the Pavilion should not be allowed during the season anyway as very dangerous especially for the older generation.
Yet again the only consideration is for cyclists who make no contribution to the upkeep of roads and consistently do not use the cycle paths allocated for them. This is particularly as problem on Preston Beach road which causes a problem on the only straight stretch of road into Weymouth and causes a lot of problems for people walking on the esplanade ……. even though there is a designated cycle path running alongside the road!!!
I support all the proposals to remove parking.
I support the cycle way going towards the town bridge from the Pavilion. I am strongly against the cycle way towards the pavilion as I am concerned a pedestrian may be hit by a bicycle cycling in a bike lane against the flow of traffic. Clear marking for car drivers is fine but it’s pedestrians who need protection from cyclists.
I am all in favour of any scheme that promotes safe opportunities to walk or cycle around Weymouth but these routes really do need to interconnect fully and not leave riders and pedestrians stranded.
Custom House Quay is a great asset to the town and if it can be utilised in such a way that maximises its potential for all who use the area then these proposals cannot be anything but good.
Two way cycle lanes and removal of parking bays is the daftest idea yet. Leave our harbour area as it is. You’ve already ruined the area with putting a fence along the harbour edge.
Knowing the way the Council works this is a façade of a consultation as it always pretends to listen but in fact ignores any comments from the silent majority.
You need to provide more disable parking bays
I would fully agree with stopping cars in these areas of high footfall except for deliveries , mobility scooters etc.
Walking/ cycling only.
Great for everyone.
Pedestrian progress is already severely restricted at times forcing pedestrians into the road. Loading bays restrict pedestrian access and are abused. A dedicated cycle lane would also restrict pedestrian space, the argument that it would “keep residents active and reducing dependence on cars for some short journeys” is just nonsense, journeys to where for example? Cycling against the traffic flow may be widely used but is still dangerous and completely unnecessary in this area.
Pedestrian access on just one side of this road can be very busy and this should be the priority for space.
Is this just another “tick box” consultation?? There has already been a “consultation” and the result was perfectly clear, and I quote…..
The proposals for a on road cycle lane split opinion, with 40 per cent in support, 50.3 per cent AGAINST and 9.7 per cent unsure of the proposal.
So the majority of local residents who responded were NOT in favour, with a smaller minority being in favour, so what is there to consult over?
The locals, who were consulted initially, voted against it so that should be the end of it, but it is not.
Oh silly me, those who took part in the initial consultation clearly gave the wrong answer! So the question needs to be asked again to ensure that this time the Council get the “Correct” answer. Why else “consult” again?
The Council say they wish to support local businesses, so what do they do? Hike the parking charges and remove even more parking spaces, if that’s support please stop doing it right now because all it will do is drive people away from small local businesses and into the arms of the out of town multi-nationals who provide free parking.
For the record I oppose this proposed TRO.
An increase in signage, and different road surfaces wont register with the vast majority of motorists. It might register with visitors because they are unfamiliar with the area, but locals, who are familiar with the area, will drive on auto-pilot on a road that has been one way for as long as I can remember, plus of course many cyclists will ignore the signs and cycle exactly where they want.
The current arrangements work very well and have enhanced the area considerably, but putting in a contra-flow cycle lane is a recipe for disaster. It wont be very long before a cyclist (going the “wrong” way down a one way street) gets seriously injured in a collision with a car.
Westham Road is one instance of cyclists going the wrong way down a one way street. It’s not a case of if a cyclist will come to grief it’s when. I’m totally against most schemes where cyclists can go the opposite way to the main flow of traffic on the grounds of safety.
There does seem a need to decide in which category do other wheeled vehicles fit – pedestrians or cycles ? I am referring to skate boards, roller boots, mobility scooters, land trains, e – bikes , motor bikes and any other yet to be invented ! There has to be safe places to leave them whilst visiting the area to eat, drink, shop. What about the freed up space under the bridge ? And please supply big re cycling bins.
I am happy with all the above proposals apart from the issue of a cycling lane going against the traffic. I do not think their will be enough space for this. This area is always very popular with both locals and holidaymakers and lack of space on the pavements often sees pedestrians walking on the road. A cycle lane going in the opposite direction in my view is an accident waiting to happen. They may have these lanes in London but we are a holiday destination with people tending to be in a more relaxed frame of mind, especially young children. As on the promenade some cyclists tend to ride in a very reckless manner! Why are cyclist always a priority over pedestrians, walking is also an exercise I think we have a strong cycling lobby in Weymouth.
and often wander
The councils plans are doubtless well-meaning but reducing the number of parking places on either side of the harbour is a disaster for those residents who pay for street parking permits as they simply put pressure on the lready badly managed street parking permit scheme – for example the idea of giving hoteliers etc visitors temporary parking permits deprives local tax payers and permit holders of what amounts to an already hugely limited number of parking places. An example of the absurdity related to the current Zoning arrangements shows that Horsford Street is in Zone L but there is not even ONE residents parking place in Horsford Street nor any signage to indicate that Horsford Street is a residents priority parking area! All there are a a few signs for the handicapped spaces and NOTHING to indicate that there are ANY parking restrictions in Horsford Street at all, hence nearly all the parking spaces in this road are filled by holidaymakers many of them who leave their cars unattended and unused for the entire duration of their stay! Those of us who volunteer for the emergency services such as the RNLI are serious inhibited in our roles by being unable to find a parking space within 1/4 mile of their homes, yet we pay a not insignificant fee for our (often worthless during the holiday season ) street parking permits!
I think it would be great to remove all motorised traffic from the area permantly. Just have pedestrians cyclists and deliveries before 10am. then give the business more room to spread their table and add to the now continental feel of the area.
I have to agree with comments against a cycle lane contrary to the flow of traffic. I’d like to see a copy of the risk assessment on this. Also as a mobility scooter user, I try to avoid using this on the highway if at all possible, because as a driver I hate to see them on the road, again a high risk. More emphasis should be given to making it easier for pedestrians, cyclists and mobility users to share wider safe pathways, ie along Chickerell Road . I’ve not checked out Custom House Quay yet with my buggy but the comments seem to point to encroaching seats and tables forcing users into the highway.
Well there still seems to be a majority of responders who, like me, oppose the contra-flow cycle lane. Will it make blind bit of difference? Of course not, “The Council” have already made the decision and this “consultation” is a total and utter farce, it’s just so they, when challenged, can say “We consulted on the issue” and leave out “But ignored what people said because WE know better”
Get used to it everyone, this daft cycle lane WILL appear and, before long, a serious collision involving a cycle will happen, at which point the chances of finding a councillor who will admit they voted in favour of it will be very difficult to find. The council do not operate a true democracy, they operate a dictatorship because we, the people who pay them, don’t understand the issue/dont have access to the facts/are not prepared to accept change or any number of other excuses that will be used to justify them ignoring the first consultation result which, I would like to remind them again, was NOT in favour of this contraflow cycle lane.
Agree just another tick box consultation, decisions made months ago behind closed doors by the Council Mandarins in their white ivory towers.
I would make the following comments as there is little than can be done to stop these changes.
The railings, if they have to stay should be fastened to the water side of the harbour. This is not impossible to do, we have just had major works completed by the pavilion to improve the harbour defenses, nobody died, nobody fell in the water whilst completing them. With the railings repositioned it would enable people to sit on the wall and not have to climb over the railings as they do now. Much safer although still an eyesore.
The cycle lane, if we must have it set an enforceable speed limit of 4 mph clearly marked on the lane within the town center. While we are at it outside of the town center a limit of 10mph on places like the Rodwell trail. These signs should be clearly marked at regular intervals on the lanes. If we must have cycle and pedestrians together, make it safe.
As for comparing Weymouth with London, no comment!