South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) has opened a public consultation on plans for a number of ‘raised table’ cycle crossings within Bradley Stoke.
The proposed crossings are part of Cycling City Route 3, which will link Parkway Station to Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre.
The Statement of Reasons document published by the Council explains:
These crossing points consist of a raised table section bringing the carriageway up to the footway level. This allows pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users to cross the carriageway with no change in gradient or level. It also raises the visibility and priority of vulnerable users to the same physical level as the traffic. The crossing can also help maintain the low speed of traffic within any 20mph zone.
The new crossings are to be installed at the following locations:
- Across Baileys Court Road, between its junctions with Sherbourne Avenue and Meadow Way
- Across Fiddlers Wood Lane, close to its junction with Bradley Stoke Way
- Across the access road into Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre
Each crossing will consist of a gentle ramped approach up to the existing level of the footway and then a flat table.
In contrast to the speed bumps used on Brook Way and other roads in the town, the raised crossings will present a ‘full carriageway width’ obstacle to road vehicles. Bus companies and ambulance services are known to have previously objected to such features on the grounds of passenger discomfort.
Residents have until Wednesday 10th March to register comments on the proposals.
More information:
- Consultation Documents (SGC)
- Respond to the Consultation (SGC)
“This allows pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users to cross the carriageway with no change in gradient or level” – yes cause otherwise it can be quite a hike from pavement level to road level (and back again on the other side!!).
Is this an end of year ‘must spend the money’ scheme – I can’t think of any other reason to waste money like this. Who actually sits in an office and thinks this stuff up?
Yes, a bit like the ‘cycle lanes’ along Bradley Stoke Way that were painted in and then later removed!!!
Why doesn’t the money get spent on more important things like ensuring that the pelican crossing from Tescos to the Leisure Centre has an audible sound when the green man shows? I’ve never understood why this is the case, bearing in mind that this is the only way partially sighted people know when they can cross!! The crossing along from the Three Brooks has this sound…… very odd.
Re: The crossing by the leisure centre. I believe that there is no audible sound as the crossing is split and the lights on each half opperate independently. If there were a sound it would potentially be dangerous as confusion may occur over which half of the crossing was safe to cross.
This is quite common, and such crossings often use tactile indicators such as a rotating rubber cone to indicate to the partially sighted when it is safe to cross.
I don’t know if such an indicator is present on this particular crossing but no doubt someone will check and let us all know when they next use it.