The council is consulting residents over government-funded plans to “improve the facilities for people walking, wheeling*, and cycling along Bitterne Road East between Somerset Avenue and Bitterne Precinct.” Image: Google
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The aim is to connect local communities with Bitterne Precinct, local schools and services”, says the authority.
It says the scheme would include new crossings over Bitterne Road East, changes to Bath Road junction to make it easier to cross, bus stop improvements, and a protected cycle lane.
It explains that “*wheeling” refers to “wheelchairs, buggies and scooters”.
The council's consultation explains that its proposals include:
- widening the path between Bitterne Road East and Somerset Avenue to make it ‘shared use’ for pedestrians and cycling
- a new signalised pedestrian / cycle crossing over Bitterne Road East, close to the junction of Somerset Avenue
- a protected two-way on-road cycle lane between Somerset Avenue and Bath Road (this will apparentlytmean the removal of the left turn and right turn lanes into Bath Road)
- a protected two-way off carriageway cycle lane between Bath Road and Bitterne Road East access to Milbury Crescent, meaning removal of an existing footway
- changes to the Bath Road junction to make it easier for pedestrians to cross
- improvements to alternative pedestrian route on the Bitterne Road East service road between Bath Road and Milbury Crescent
- upgrading the existing crossing on Bitterne Road East to toucan (for pedestrians and cycles) at Commercial Street and continuous crossing across Commercial Street to link to Bitterne Library
- widening of a path, and making it shared use, to Bitterne Precinct, and a continuous cycle crossing of Bitterne Road East Service Road
Photographs and a diagram of proposed changes, and more information, form the introduction to the online consultation, which is here. It closes on October 15.