Improvements to enable more sustainable travel have now been completed on the first section of Wimborne Road West in Colehill. This includes the building of new cycle lanes, separate pedestrian pavements and a complete re-surfacing of the road.
The newly opened cycle lanes are part of the Leigh Road – Wimborne Road West sustainable transport improvements, which are being funded by BCP and Dorset Councils’ £100m + Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme1.
This section also represents the first completed infrastructure in the TCF programme, which will eventually provide 78km of new cycling lanes, walking paths and improvements to bus services infrastructure across south east Dorset, offering opportunities for more healthy, eco-friendly and safer journeys to work, education and leisure.
Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment said: “It is great to see the first section of this major project completed. South east Dorset is one of the most congested regions in the country and we need to start making the change to more sustainable, less polluting forms of transport. Winning the TCF funding from central government has meant that we can start to put the infrastructure in place to encourage more people to take up active and sustainable forms of transport and to leave their cars at home, particularly for shorter journeys.”
Local cyclist Lynsey Gentry, one of the first persons to try out the cycle lane said: “This cycle lane is really good; the smooth surface is a joy to ride on and it certainly makes me feel a lot safer about riding along this busy road. The fact that I am no longer on the main vehicle road also means I won’t be causing a delay to any cars trying to get past me.”
Once fully completed, the cycle lane will eventually run 2.3km along Wimborne Road West and Leigh Road from the Canford Bottom Roundabout to the Brook Road Junction and will form a branch of the 27km sustainable transport route linking Poole Town Centre, Wimborne and Ferndown. It also fills a missing section on the Castleman Trailway, part of the National Cycle Network, which links Dorset to Ringwood and the New Forest.
It will also link important employment, commercial and residential locations across south east Dorset via further TCF schemes on Wimborne Road West and East, Ham Lane and beyond to Ferndown, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch town centres.
Cycle path is fantastic. Smooth and safe. My whole family cycle including 4 grandchildren and when the route is complete we will no longer use our cars for local trips. We’ll done Dorset Council.
In my opinion, the money spent on this cycleway has been wasted as there will NOT be the amount of cyclists using it to substantiate the expenditure. It could and should have been spent and put to better use improving the roads that we already have !
Hi Derek, this money is ringfenced for the sustainable transport projects put forward in our bid to the Department for Transport Transforming Cities Fund (TCF)
and cannot be used for general road maintenance. You can find out more here: https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Features/Transforming-Travel/Transforming-Cities-Fund/transforming-cities-fund.aspx
‘Local cyclist’ should read ‘Lone cyclist’; can’t believe there’s a two-way cycle lane that in turn, reduces the width of the vehicle lanes, not wide enough for any HGV and car, van, truck etc to pass without encroaching on the lovely smooth surfaced cycle lanes. The photo shows at least 7 vehicles in addition to an HGV or Truck, a true reflection of the lack of uptake by cyclists who won’t be seen using the road when the weather is inclement, snow, ice, wind et al.
I’m all for safety but the pedestrian lane plus cycle lanes should be narrower which in turn, make it safer for the motorist.
Hi Richard, the Department for Transport do have guidance which states the minimum width a lane can be reduced to, to make sure all vehicles can still use the road safely. The guidance is being followed on this programme of work, schemes also undergo safety audits to ensure that what is being designed will be safe for all road users.
The lanes are too narrow.
In your reply you state that min road width guidance is being followed but this doesn’t mean that the carriage way is wide enough for the type of traffic that uses this road.
You should not hide behind guidance but listen to feedback appropriately.
The road is now much more dangerous for motorcyclists who now have no room to overtake with any safety.
May I suggest that you operate a survey point, perhaps near Hayes Lane, one weekend, and question all the cyclists using the road, why?
Unless you put up signs encouraging them to use the cycle path on current evidence, after considerable expenditure, nothing has changed.
Interesting to see a cyclist actually using the cycle path. That photo is taken outside our property and a large percentage of the cyclist that pass by are still using the road. Thanks for sabotaging a perfectly good local road. Your photo doesn’t show the chaos inconvenience and holdups that we now see daily.
Sir
Yes the cycle way is open, however how are you going to stop cyclists from using the roads.Ham lane ,Wimborne road west & Leigh road.
Thursday evening about 15 cyclists proceeded to ride down Ham Lane then across Canford bottom roundabout and along Wimborne Road west. When a car driver said about cycle way he was sworn at. If cyclists aren’t going to be using the new cycle way then what a waste of public money. The roads have been narrowed to accommodate the cyclists. Does this mean that we the car driver can use the cycle way as cyclists still insist using the road.
Seems reasonable!
the cost must be astronomical what a waste of funds that could have helped the needy
Hi Terry, the money has been provided by central government specifically for the public and sustainable transport. You can find out more here: https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Features/Transforming-Travel/Transforming-Cities-Fund/transforming-cities-fund.aspx
I and many people I have spoken to feel this cycle track is too wide and can foresee problems with large lorries and buses having difficulty passing each other. Where do cyclists go when they get to Brook Road on their way into Wimborne town where the road is so narrow until you reach Rodways roundabout? Time will tell if this so called improvement causes major problems for the Leigh Road. I know I am not the only one to be worried.
Hi Carol, the Department for Transport do have guidance which states the minimum width a lane can be reduced to, to make sure all vehicles can still use the road safely. The guidance is being followed on this programme of work, schemes also undergo safety audits to ensure that what is being designed will be safe for all road users.
Being one the locals who has experienced the disruption to traffic, has seen the hard work of the construction crew and wonder at the amount money spent on this project ,really hope that it has all been worthwhile. But I am very doubtful.
Whilst these “improvements” may be ideal for cyclists has the remaining width of the carriageway used by buses, lorries & cars really been thought through? The lanes for buses etc now seem to be rather narrow if there are 2 larger vehicles passing in opposite directions. The amount of space taken for the 2 cycle lanes is disproportionate, & I can foresee large vehicles having to use part of the cycle lane to pass another large vehicle on the opposite side of the road. Then what?!
Hi Sybil, there is a minimum width a lane can be reduced to, to make sure all vehicles can still use the road safely. The allowable widths are stated in the Department for Transport guidance that is being followed on this programme of work. Schemes also undergo safety audits to ensure that what is being designed will be safe for all road users.
You are not listening the lanes are now too narrow and are not “safe for all road users”.
Please rethink this as you extend the work elsewhere.
Total waste of money!
While welcoming the new cycleway which i will certainly use I can’t see the advantage on arriving at Brook Road – are we supposed to go down Brook Road and then cycle along the river to avoid traffic?
I find it unbelievable that with the new housing going in down that road the council decided to waste millions on a completely useless cycle Lane,while reducing road capacity and causing tons of carbon emissions building yet another ill thought out white elephant.
Who will be held to account for this massive waist of public money.
Philip – The money has been provided by central government specifically for the public and sustainable transport. We recommend reading https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Features/Transforming-Travel/Transforming-Cities-Fund/transforming-cities-fund.aspx – James
This looks great. We need safe cycle infrastructure like this to make Dorset an eco-friendly tourist destination. Thank you.
As a cyclist (and indeed motorist) I think it’s a waste of money as the road was already wide enough for safe road cycling, not sure who decided to build it the way they have done the part near Jewsons has left the main road far too narrow. I’ve been along in the car and it’s ridiculous. I also cannot understand why there is no ramp back onto the road for cyclist to go round the Canford bottom roundabout. The lane (if indeed it was needed) should have been part of the road. It seems that those in charge of these decisions just try to find the widest safest roads and stick a cycle lane in, Whitelegg Way being another example. Tick a box, problem is it’s not the correct box.
Why not spend the money on routes which needed it, the Ham lane one was a massive improvement as that road was pitch black during winter commute times and you felt very vulnerable as a cyclist even with an array of lights and wearing reflective clothing.
I do wonder how many road users are consulted, please try harder next time!!
The cycle ways on Leigh Road and Ham Lane have polarised opinions.
For the less confident, aged, and younger cyclists they are indeed a benefit and a major step forward in road safety for both car drivers and cyclists alike.
However, one cycle lane on Leigh road would have been adequate in my opinion. The ‘lycra’ clad ‘road racers’ seem to think that the cycle path is somehow not designed for them, or beneath their dignity, so stick to the main road, thereby continuing to create the obstacles that the vastly expensive cycle lane were intended to remove.
I can also see major incidents in the future, when cars exiting from side roads and driveways collide with cyclists legitimately travelling at speed along the new cycleways.
Verdict: More thought and a much wider consultation before projects of this nature are undertaken.
It might be argued that this project is a Piledriver to crack a Hazel nut…..I was unaware that with a combined population for Wimborne and Colehill of less than 20k, that so many people owned bicycles, and the cycling lobby in East Dorset was so powerful.
You will argue that the whole project was Government funded? But surely a less ambitious solution would have equally fitted the bill and given rise to less public dis-satisfaction. Unless of course this is the start of a major downsizing in the infrastructure of the UK and in a generation or so, the few cars still on the road will be using the 2m wide cycle lanes and the thousands of cycles will be on the road!!
Yes it may have been Government funded but where did that money actually come from?
Well I guess that would be the taxpayers again.