Good News!

Thanks to everyone who attended our meetings and responded to the Consultation on the A4018 “improvements”. We welcome the Council climb down as a result of the overwhelming opposition to their original consultation.

This is a summary of the changes they are now proposing:

• Crow Lane roundabout remains with all turnings allowed.
• Right turning into Charlton Road will be allowed.
• Passage Road dual carriageway: bus lane will be rush hours only.
• Falcondale/Greystoke junction to have traffic lights.
• All turnings onto and off of Falcondale Road will be kept (including the one up Henbury Road).
• A crossing on Canford Lane near the cemetery.
• Falcondale/Westbury Road junction to be traffic lighted.
• There will be traffic calming mearsures introduced on Brentry Lane.
• A new crossing will be installed across Passage Road between Dragonswell Road and Brentry Lane.

Further consultation to take place on the following:

• On possible upgrades to Henbury Road, Canford Lane and Stoke Lane junctions with Falcondale ( ie it appears turning restrictions have been dropped)
• The Westbury Village Traffic proposals have been dropped and a new consultation will take place
• Cycling improvements between Greystoke and Westbury Road

Restriction of rat running on Southdown and Hillsdon Roads

As you can imagine I am delighted that the Council has accepted that the original proposals were ridiculous. There are still questions marks over the future of Westbury Village and some of the other proposals but it is still definite progress.

My colleagues and I are still working with Council Officers on some of the finer details:

• The Passage Road bus lanes are too long and will result in buses being stuck in traffic congestion before the bus lane starts. We are suggesting that outbound the bus lane starts from Dragonswell Road and inbound from Brentry Lane.
• Inbound traffic will only back up at Blackboy Hill. The closure of Roman Road (by the water Tower) would help speed up traffic flow further along the A4018.
• We believe Air Quality is now a vital issue and are disappointed there are no plans to set benchmark air quality readings at key points along the A4018.
• We believe that more work needs to be done to improve the secondary junctions such as the Crow Lane / Henbury Road one.

The final decision on the proposals will be made at the June Cabinet meeting and you can register support or concerns by submitting statements to cabinet ([email protected] ref Cabinet/A4018)