First phase of work on Glenferness Avenue completes

Completion of the first phase of active travel work on Bournemouth’s Glenferness Avenue has been marked with the grand opening of two brand new bridges over the railway for walkers and cyclists. As well as cycle approach lanes from the road to the bridges, the area also boasts a new toucan crossing and several junction improvements.

Held on Wednesday 6 March and attended by stakeholders from BCP Council, Bournemouth University, St Mark’s Church of England Primary School and Talbot Primary School, a ribbon was cut to mark the official opening of the bridges, with the honour handed to two pupils from the local schools.

Funded by central government’s Transforming Cities Fund, two new four-metre-wide and 31-metre-long prefabricated bridges have been installed, creating a safe, segregated space for walkers, wheelers and cyclists.

Ramps and stepped cycle lanes have been added between Elgin Road and Alyth Road, with a new toucan crossing now in place just north of East Avenue. Improvements have also been made to the East Avenue/Glenferness Avenue road junction.

This new infrastructure forms a key part of a sustainable travel route between Bournemouth town centre and Talbot Woods, Winton and Wallisdown, with future plans for the route to be expanded all the way to Ferndown.

Councillor Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy at BCP Council, said:

“Glenferness Avenue is one of the key routes into the middle of Bournemouth, so these improvements will make a huge difference to everyone trying to get into and out of the town centre, however they’re travelling. The additional bridges mean a previous pinch point is now significantly safer, something which will be particularly welcomed by the local school community and our university students.”

Lauren Cannings, Travel and Transport Manager at Bournemouth University, said:

“Glenferness Avenue has always been a busy commuting route for staff and students travelling to the university's Talbot campus. The previous bridge only had a single footpath for pedestrians and the narrow road lanes made it dangerous for cyclists to share the space.

“The new layout provides several improvements, including a new toucan crossing for safer movements, two bridges either side of the road which are wide enough for both pedestrians and cyclists to share, and dedicated cycle lanes on the approach so riders can safely join the traffic after crossing.

“A number of staff and students have already stopped me to comment on how the works have hugely improved their commute, especially our cycling and walking community who now feel safer travelling along Glenferness Road on their way to and from the campus."

Andrew Bright, Headteacher of St Mark’s Church of England Primary School, said:

“The introduction of the new toucan crossing and bridges will improve the safety of our students and their families, and we are hoping to see a difference in the number of people deciding to actively travel to school on foot, by scooting or by bicyle.

“The improvements will benefit everybody, and we hope to see traffic positively impacted on local roads. We welcome improvements which allow families to travel to and from school in an active and sustainable way, allowing students to arrive at school fresh and ready to learn.”

Kate Curtis, Headteacher of Talbot Primary School, added:

“With the addition of the new toucan crossing and bridges, our students now have safer routes to school, encouraging more families to embrace walking, cycling and scooting as viable transportation choices.”

Local Bournemouth University student, Emilia Tomlinson, said:

“As a student commuting daily to Bournemouth University, the new bridges and crossing have drastically improved how safe I feel cycling to uni. I’ve had some near misses with traffic when using the narrow road bridge in the past, but now I’m completely separate from the cars and as a result, I’ve found I’m cycling more than ever.”

The next phase of sustainable travel improvements on Glenferness Avenue between Talbot roundabout and just south of Elgin Road (north entrance) are now underway and due to finish in the summer.

This work includes:

• New parallel crossings (one near the southern approach of Talbot roundabout and one between Roslin Road South and Elgin Road)
• Stepped cycle lanes between Talbot roundabout and Alford Road
• Junction safety improvements and side road entry treatments installed at Roslin Road South (both sides) and Elgin Road
• Resurfacing of the carriageway between Talbot roundabout and Alford Road
• Resurfacing of the footways between Talbot roundabout and Alford Road

For more information about the sustainable travel work on Glenferness Avenue, visit www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/tcfglenfernessavenue.

Notes to editors

The Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme in south east Dorset includes a network of new cycle and walking routes and bus improvements across the region as well as investment in trip-end facilities for schools and businesses, wayfinding facilities and subsidies for the Beryl Bike rental service. The introduction of more sustainable forms of transport aims to transform local travel, reduce road congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and bring economic and health benefits.

The TCF programme is funded largely by the UK Government’s Transforming Cities Fund awarded by the Department for Transport (DfT) but also includes contributions from both councils and local transport and business development organisations. BCP Council and Dorset Council were one of 12 regions in England to secure a share of the government’s Transforming Cities Fund based on its commitment to supporting economic growth through investment in public sustainable transport infrastructure. It forms a major part of the region’s Transforming Travel programme promoting sustainable travel. Go to www.transformingtravel.info for further information.