Published on Wednesday 05 February 2025
Work to provide safe active travel links for schoolchildren and the local community along Ashley Road in Boscombe has now completed, with two new toucan crossings and improved shared paths installed and in use.
The new crossings are located outside Kings Park Academy, replacing the school crossing patrol, and near the entrance to Kings Park, offering a safer connection for people walking and cycling between the park’s facilities and the quieter, low-traffic route along Windham Road towards Bournemouth train station and the town centre.
Councillor Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy at BCP Council, said:
“These toucan crossings are vital elements in our broader efforts to make the conurbation a safer and more accessible place for walking, wheeling and cycling. By focusing on key locations such as Kings Park and Kings Park Academy, we are ensuring that both residents and schoolchildren can travel safely while encouraging more sustainable, active forms of transport.”
Nigel Fox, Site Manager at Kings Park Academy, welcomed the improvements, saying:
“I’m very happy with the work that’s been done. The contractors were very cooperative and made sure there was limited disruption to the school. Now the crossing is complete, it is widely used by parents and children.
“The safety of our students is a key priority, and the installation of this new crossing outside the school will make a real difference to them. We are excited to see these improvements in action.”
Full details of the improvements are available via www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/TCFAshleyRoad.
The work on Ashley Road forms part of a larger initiative, funded by central government’s Transforming Cities Fund, to create a more connected network of sustainable travel routes across south east Dorset.