The new walking and cycling paths and sustainable travel improvements on Wimborne Road in Ferndown are making good progress, with the final construction phase (from Cobham Road to West Moors Road) due to begin in October 2022.
The work, being delivered by Dorset Council and funded through the south east Dorset Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), includes:
- the construction of new cycle and walking paths along the north side of Wimborne Road
- building two new, traffic light controlled, segregated pedestrian and cycle crossings over Cobham Road and West Moors Road
- upgrading the bus stops
- upgrading the existing pedestrian crossing outside of the Pure Drop Inn across to Ferndown School
- re-modelling and introducing new technology traffic lights and crossings at the junctions of Ameysford Rd/Church Road, Queens Road/Victoria Road and West Moors Road
Construction will start at the Wimborne Road East / Cobham Road junction, at the entrance to the Ferndown Industrial Estate on 17 October. A set of three-way temporary traffic lights will be in operation until early 2023. Work has been scheduled to follow essential gas main installation work being undertaken by Southern Gas Network (SGN) at the same location, to ensure synergy of works and minimise traffic disruption.
Work on the first two phases of the new sustainable travel route along Wimborne Road West and East through Ferndown are nearing completion. Phase one work (Wimborne Road West – Canford Bottom Roundabout to Cobham Road) is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 and phase two work (Wimborne Road East – Trickett’s Cross Roundabout to West Moors Road) due to complete by the end of September.
Improvements made during these two phases include the construction of a wider, shared walking and cycling path, installation of new crossings and bus shelters, junction improvements and the repair and re-surfacing of sections of the carriageway.
It is expected that the entire 4.3km route of new cycle, walking and bus infrastructure improvements along Wimborne Road in Ferndown (from Canford Bottom to Trickett’s Cross roundabouts) will be complete by winter 2023. They form part of the green travel route linking Wimborne and Ferndown with Poole town centre, including the new cycle and walking paths and new bus improvements, already in use along Leigh Road, Wimborne Road West and Ringwood Road.
Councillor Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Highways, Travel and Environment said:
“We are really pleased with the progress being made with this major sustainable travel project which will transform local travel and reduce traffic congestion and pollution. Once completed it will provide a 7.5km green travel route from Wimborne, through Colehill, safely across the Canford Bottom Roundabout and then all the way to the Ferndown Industrial Estate, Ferndown schools and the shopping and leisure facilities of Ferndown and beyond.
“This route also forms a section of the new sustainable travel route which will link Ferndown to Poole town centre. This will definitely encourage more people to adopt, cycling, walking, and taking the bus, a wise move in these times of high fuel prices, as well as providing a safe pathway for those using mobility scooters.
“We thank you for your patience as we build greener and safer active travel infrastructure for the long-term future of south east Dorset.”
Philip Jones, Headteacher at Ferndown Upper School said:
“We are looking forward to these new facilities being built. Many of our pupils already walk or cycle to school so these new facilities will help a lot, particularly in terms of their safety. I hope these improvements encourage even more to cycle and walk to school. The improved crossing on Wimborne Road, outside our school, is very much appreciated as well.”
Plans for these improvements were informed by responses gathered during public engagement late 2020 and formal consultation which ran 10 May to 14 June 2021. All responses (available here) were analysed and helped shape the final scheme designs.
The exit to my property is at the Wimborne Road East / West Moors Road junction, exactly between the current traffic lights. In order to exit my property, we have our own traffic light which allows us to leave our property safely on to Wimborne Road East.
I have tried to find out how we will be affected during and after the proposed works, but still have no information. Can you please provide more detail. Thanks
Hi Nathan – please can you contact the team by emailing transformingtravel@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and they will be able to discuss this with you directly.
Katie
Hopefully this section will be used by school children but the sections completed so far have virtually zero usage. Cars are restricted to a tiny lane and if you need to park outside a house for a moment there is no choice but to park on the cycle lane, which I believe is forbidden?
More ongoing chaos ahead which will disrupt everyone and benefit only those who are being paid for the contract. For serious cyclists these new paths are not safe or efficient. Nor is now safe for pedestrians as they are not segregated effectively from leisure cyclists and mobility scooter users. I will not be cycling or walking along them.
Good news that this scheme is coming along well. Please can you update us on progress on the other route from Ferndown – the one to Bournemouth. It is over 18 months since the consultation and yet there hasn’t been any news on the final route and construction timetable.
Hi Paul – thanks for your response. The route from Bournemouth to Ferndown has made good progress, with the southern section from Bournemouth Square through Upper Gardens now completed.
We have just received planning permission for the new bridges which will carry the cycle and walking paths over the railway line on Glenferness Avenue. We are expecting work to begin on the whole Glenferness Avenue project, including the bridges, later next year, which will include the new cycle lanes along the length of the avenue, as well as improvements to bus service infrastructure and new pedestrian and cycle crossing points on this busy road.
The improvements on Prince of Wales Road, Benellen Avenue and Leven Avenue, linking Upper Gardens to Glenferness Avenue are also at final design stage with construction due to start next year too.
I hope this gives you the information you want. To stay up to date with the latest information about the planned sustainable travel improvements between Bournemouth and Ferndown, please sign up to the Transforming Travel newsletter and follow the team on social media (Facebook: @TransformingTravel; Twitter: @ttravelinfo).
Hi again. Thanks for the update about the Bournemouth end of the route. However, since the 2021 consultation closed, there has been no update from BCP Council or Dorset Council about the other end of the route – across the Stour and up into Ferndown. Please can you update on that – when will the route be finalised and when is work due to begin and finish? Thanks
Just yet more delays to road traffic for the sake of cyclists who go through red lights do not use cycle lanes, and think they rule the roads.
Now DCC suggesting the speed limit should be 30 mph from 40mph .
Why when miles of cycle lanes have been put in place.?
Major roadworks in Wimborne/Ferndown areas for 2 years & now yet another year of misery to satisfy a few cyclists
Hi. I asked a supplementary question, which I think was clear and perfectly reasonable, on 17 Nov. I am very disappointed that after a week, I don’t yet have an answer from you about the northern end of the Bournemouth to Ferndown bike route; I.e. crossing the Stour and up. I would like to know when the route will be published, when work will start and when it will finish. It is 18 months since the consultation. If no progress has been made, perhaps the money should be returned to central government, who could certainly use it right now. Thank you.
Dear Mr Knight, plans for the northern part of the TCF route from Bournemouth Centre to Ferndown fall later in the Transforming Cities Fund delivery programme. We are also currently subject to ongoing negotiations with land-owners through which the route may pass and as a result can’t comment further at this time.
We are sorry that we cannot provide more information but will do so once things become more finalised.
To stay informed, you can sign up to receive information updates through the regular Transforming Travel e-newsletter: transformingtravel@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Can you please give an estimate of when Ringwood Road, from Victoria traffic lights to the roundabout at Tricketts Cross will have a cycle lane??
Dear Lesley, due to a lack of funding, this section has been delayed. The team are currently seeking other methods of funding to carry out work on this section. We will publicise details of the work, timings etc when this has been secured. Regards, Claire
As a resident in Ferndown I believe i’m one of many residents who are totally fed up with the disruption caused during the past nearly 2 years while the implementation of cycle lanes, etc along the Wimborne Road, I cannot believe it will have taken nearly 2 years to complete this work on a stretch of road 2/3 miles long. Actually I can believe it when I regularly pass no actual work being done. Who, if anyone, supervises this and what will be the final cost?
Hello, I have passed your comments to the Transforming Travel team (transformingtravel@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk) and asked them to respond to you directly. Best regards, Claire
I am so happy to have the new cycle lanes around Ferndown but would like to have a timeline of when you will be starting the next phase on Wimborne Road, so I know I can complete my journey by bike from Ferndown Upper School to Ferndown Industrial Estate?
Hi, I have passed your query on to our TCF team – transformingtravel@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. In the meantime, you can also find details about the scheme on our website – https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/transforming-travel thanks, Claire
Hi, the team have come back to me to say they are planning on starting the final phase in Summer 2024. Claire