Work will begin on the latest section of the Leigh Road – Wimborne Road West sustainable transport improvements, on August 16, 2021.
Following the successful completion of the first sections of cycle and pedestrian lanes on Wimborne Road West, work is now progressing well on the improvements up to the Hayes Lane junction and the entrance to the new Quarterjack Park development. Work will now begin on the last sections between Hayes Lane / Quarterjack Park development and the Brook Road Junction.
During this time, temporary traffic signals will be in operation along the works on Leigh Road. Because of this, traffic queues may build up on Leigh Road during peak travel times, which may tail back to Brook Road causing problems around the new traffic light controlled junction. As a result, the new Brook Road lights will be turned off for the duration of the works and a temporary three-way traffic light system installed in their place. These temporary lights will come into operation on 16th August and will be in place for 8 weeks.
Once fully completed, the cycle lane will 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 will also fill a missing section on the Castleman Trailway, part of the National Cycle Network, which links Dorset to Ringwood and the New Forest.
The work is being funded mostly from a central government grant from the DfT’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF). A joint bid by BCP Council and Dorset Council was one of 12 regions in England to secure a share of the government’s TCF based on their commitment to driving economic growth through investment in public and sustainable transport. Additional funding has also been provided by the two councils, local public transport companies and regional business development organisations giving a total programme budget of over £100m.
The TCF Programme in south east Dorset includes the construction of 78km of new cycle lanes, pedestrian pavements and bus service improvements and forms a major part of the region’s Transforming Travel programme. This programme is looking to promote change in the way people travel by providing safe infrastructure for alternative, green forms of transport and encouraging people to leave the car at home, particularly for shorter journeys.
I live on Wimborne road west and the workers have been absolutely brilliant. Throughout they have been great at communicating with us as got to outside our house and as they do the work. Thoughtful in how they have approached it to our needs to get access in and out of our drive.
I am keen for them to get some positive feedback for the great work they have done. It is clear that they care, work well together and want to do a good job.
Hi Lee, thank you for your comment – that’s great to hear and we’ll pass your compliments on to the team. We’d also welcome any feedback via the form on our website: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/comments-compliments-and-complaints?p_l_back_url=%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcompliments
more waste of council funds i have nott seen many cycles on any of this route
Although I only use Leigh Road on a Friday, I have ben impressed by the courtesy shown by the Contractors and been generally pleased by the manners displayed by the road users throughout the period of disruption thus far.
Great to hear Chris, thank you for your comments – James
I hope that you will take into consideration when commencing the last part of this excessive amount of work for little amount of usage by cyclists that Wimborne Football ground is now open and that there will be a lot of traffic on Leigh Rd when there is a Home match.
One issue that hasn’t been mentioned is the riding of bikes on the highway and ignoring the expensive provision of the new cycle paths. Often along Hayes Lane bike riders totally ignore the cycle path & ride 2 or 3 abreast making car overtaking either impossible or dangerous. What is needed along Leigh Rd & Hayes Lane are “no cycle riding mandatory road signs.