Published on Friday 07 July 2023
A major programme of sustainable travel and road improvement work on Wimborne Road in Poole is making good progress with new cycle and pedestrian crossings installed at Serpentine Road roundabout and the carriageway resurfacing of Wimborne Road around New Inn Junction complete.
The completed work includes:
- Improvements around the Serpentine Road roundabout with three new parallel crossings on raised tables and footways converted to shared use for people walking and cycling
- Re-surfacing the carriageway on Wimborne Road between Kings Close, through the New Inn Junction up to Daisy Close in Oakdale
- New landscaping at Serpentine Road roundabout
- The improvements at New Inn Junction, including dedicated space for cyclists linking to/from Darbys Lane, new crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists as well as traffic signal upgrades, are largely finished. New landscaping at this location is due to be undertaken later this year.
The programme of work combined projects from the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme and BCP Council’s Highways Maintenance programme. Work from the two projects was undertaken simultaneously to cut down on traffic disruption, the project duration and costs.
Julian McLaughlin, Service Director for Infrastructure at BCP Council, said:
"This project is a major undertaking by BCP Council and I thank the public for their patience during the construction of these important improvements.
"Residents and commuters who use Wimborne Road will notice an immediate improvement in the road’s surface, the potholes have been repaired and people walking, cycling and using scooters and mobility aides around the Serpentine Road roundabout now have a safer space in which to travel.
"We are looking forward to the whole project completing and creating safe, sustainable ways for people to travel locally to and from Poole town centre along this busy road."
The next phase of work on Wimborne Road funded through the TCF programme is due to start on 10July 2023. The project will focus on upgrading the Tatnam Road/Garland Road junction, with raised table parallel crossings over the adjoining roads. The dedicated right-turn lanes on Wimborne Road will be removed, but right-turn movements into Tatnam Road and Garland Road will still be possible. A new toucan crossing will be installed south of Garland Road and the existing pedestrian crossing north of Tatnam Road will be upgraded to a toucan crossing. This work will require temporary traffic lights on Wimborne Road between Heckford Road and Tatnam Road from 10 July to 22 July and the following temporary road closures:
- Heckford Roadwill be closed to all traffic at its junction with Wimborne Road from 24 July to 4 August 2023
- Garland Roadwill be closed westbound only (no exit onto Wimborne Road) between Joliffe Road and Wimborne Road from 24 July to 29September 2023
- Tatnam Road will be closed eastbound only (no exit onto Wimborne Road) from outside 1c Tatnam Road to the junction with Wimborne Road from 24 July to 29September 2023.
The work has been phased to allow construction to continue through the summer holiday period and to ensure that a safe travel route is in place for children walking to and from school once the new term starts in September.
The final phase of the sustainable travel improvements on Wimborne Road will follow later this year, with new cycle lanes between Heckford Road and the New Inn Junction installed.
The sustainable travel improvements on Wimborne Road form part of a green travel route linking Poole town centre with Merley.