Wembdon/Victoria Road Link Route

Wembdon to Victoria Road

BACC cycling audit members have completed an on site survey of Wembdon Road to Victoria Road path improvements using Somerset County Council (SCC) provided drawings (WSP Project Number: 62102423-003 sheets 001 to 004).

This will be the first cycling and walking improvement in Bridgwater that has come directly out of the Somerset Active Travel Cell (ATC) and it will be important to apply by the Department of Transport (DfT) standards driven from the ‘Gear Change’ document and spelled out in the Local Transport Note (LTN 1/20) guidance.

Within the following ‘BACC Intervention Report‘ has laid out six design change recommendations/considerations, which are driving towards meeting those new LTN standards and especially creating an ‘open space approach’ to cycling corridors across town.

Read more below within the ‘Update Section‘..

Scheme – COMPLETED

Scheme Update Section

This scheme has been completed, it is therefore unlikely that this page will be further updated.

BACC have carried out a detailed cycle audit survey, created a ‘Wembdon Road to Victoria Road Link Path Intervention Report‘ and suggested six recommendations and actions. This report has been sent to the WSP Project Manager working for Somerset County Council (SCC) Highways Authority (HA), review has been conducted and various emails discussing design intervention changes. Some minor changes have been agreed by SCC, however, BACC are not in agreement with the fitment of staggered barriers (see photos below) at both the ends of Wembdon Road & Victoria Road links paths.

Recommendations and Outcomes;

  1. Do not fit the 2m spaced staggered barriers on either ends of link paths (Wembdon Road to Halesleigh Road link path, via cemetery and the Halesleigh Road to Victoria Road link path – 4 off sets). Following consultation SCC have remove two sets from their drawings (good), however two sets have been premanently fitted, as shown in photos below
  2. Remove the narrow strip of pavement on the right hand side of path BW 38/11 at the Victoria Road end. Not carried out
  3. Following the widening and re-tarmacing/repair of paths BW 38/10 & 11, it is recommended that both paths are built with a high friction Red surfacing material. Not conducted, however this is only a consideration
  4. It is suggested for additional safety that a speed hump is installed on the left hand side of Coronation Road, just prior to the left hand turn into Halesleigh Road. No major safety issue identified, not required
  5. To ensure that vehicles (particularly cars) slow down on the designed Victoria Road speed hump, that the slopes to this hump are built with a sharp angle (bump effect). Speed hump has been built with adequate slopes
  6. It would be ideal, if an additional SLOW road surface marking was included on the left hand side of Victoria Road, just prior to the left hand turning into Lyndale Avenue. Not conducted, however this is only a consideration

Although this scheme has been completed and is a really good link route through Newtown from Wembdon to Victoria, BACC will continue to campaign against the use the fitment of stagger barriers, supported by the LTN 1/20 and Sustrans guidance.