Our Highways team has been busy recently with resurfacing roads and repainting cycle lanes in both Lytchett Minster and Weymouth.
Dorchester Road, Lytchett Minster
As part of the resurfacing work on Dorchester Road on Lytchett Minster, we have repainted the cycle lanes on either side of the road at the minimum standard 1.5 metres width, but will – as a trial – not repaint the centre line.
This approach is recommended in recently released Government guidance on designing for cycling as part of a £2bn investment in active travel announced earlier this year. This route is a crucial link for pupils cycling to Lytchett Minster School from Upton, as well as commuters and leisure cyclists.
Dorchester Road is a part of the cycle network with huge potential. According to the modelling data we have available, it’s used by around 30 cycle commuters and 40-50 pupils going to Lytchett Minster School each day.
However, if we had the same levels of cycling as there is in Cambridge, around 300 pupils would be cycling to the school, relieving local car congestion and saving 35 tonnes of CO2 per year. In a scenario where everyone has e-bikes (a scenario that is rapidly approaching), this route could be used by 330 cycle commuters a day – this would help reduce the number of motor vehicles, save Co2 and improve public health.
Existing cycle lanes have long provided a benefit for those using the road, however, by also having a centre line, mixed messages are relayed to drivers about where they should be positioned. While removing the centre line won’t realise all these benefits, it will help reinforce the status cycle lanes and is a proven intervention that is recommended in Government guidance.
We have already removed centre lines in some locations as a way of slowing down traffic on other roads in Dorset. Evidence from elsewhere in the country suggests that traffic speeds reduce where no centre line is marked, most likely because they aren’t quite sure how much space there is to any oncoming vehicles – it is the added uncertainty that comes from this that helps achieve the speed reduction and therefore safety benefits.
Dorchester Road, Weymouth
As part of resurfacing work on Dorchester Road, Weymouth, we have altered the layout of the road to give slightly more room to the cycle lanes. These have been increased from the minimum 1.5 metres width to 1.8m width from the junction with Radipole Lane to Wey Valley School. Running lane widths remain at least 3m or more throughout the link.
Dorchester Road, Weymouth, is a well-used cycle route for both leisure cyclists and school pupils, providing a direct and less hilly alternative to the cycle path alongside the Weymouth Relief Road for some journeys. In Cambridge, a comparable school would have 170 children cycling to school, saving 13 tonnes of CO2 per year and removing 100,000 car miles from the local roads each year.
How’s about adding a protected cycle lane/foot path/bridleway on the A31 from Almer to Bere Regis? This would link the cycle route from Poole to Lychett to the existing provision for Bere Regis to Dorchester via puddletown, and get alot of cyclists off the A31 which is very dangerous to ride down and where they cause traffic delays. It would also improve connectivity through the local villages
There could be quite high latent demand for such a cycle route from cyclists who currently don’t cycle the A31 due to its inherent dangers.
What about making the kerbs safer and easier for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Good to see that cycle lanes are being intoduced. However, the lack of centre line marking appears to ignore the lane control safety systems being built into new cars. Is this wise?
Why is the A350 not being resurfaced between Ivy Cross Roundabout and the new roundabout opposite the new housing estate and the Wincombe Trading Estate? Parts of this section of road are in a very poor condition with surface cracks, worn patched areas, irregular undulations etc. Also there is a pressing need for a pedestrian crossing, the road being dangerous and very difficult to cross due to the high volume of traffic.
What about Hembury Road in Askerswell? Road signs suggesting resurficing is imminent have been in place for over !8 months yet n othing, other than some poor quality hole filling has taken place
When will you ever resurface Victoria Gardens, Ferndown? The return to
school will result in an increase in traffic taking a short cut and will , inevitably, increase the wear and tear on the road surface and the need for
more work in the long term.
Knightsdale Road that leads to Weymouth gym & swimming pool, needs urgently resurfacing, shame it didn’t get resurfaced during lockdown as it is heavily used with huge potholes for cyclist’s the Marsh park path is currently closed by Wessex water, it’s an accident waiting to happen with camper vans blocking a safe view of traffic and pedestrians on their route to Rodwell trail, come on Dorset Council get your tarmacking priorities on overnight schedule to resolve this heavily used road to exercise facilities
The repainting and widening of cycle lanes on Dorchester Road is much appreciated. I have two questions regarding this work:
1. Cyclists have to battle with cars & vans which frequently park (if only for a short while) on this cycle lane causing them to swerve out into the main traffic flow to avoid opening car doors. How can this be improved?.
2. What was the reason for selecting such a rough finish tarmac on this very important cycle route. This has created increased rolling resistance for cyclists (and other users) and leaves loose gravel in the cycle path. Can someone explain how this surface does not generate more wear on rubber (and therefore create more pollution with rubber particles on the raod surface which then runs off with rain into our drainage systems).
Thank you