Bristol: Roadworks on Cold Harbour Lane by UWE/MoD

[mgarl10024]

Hi all,

Along the A4174 in Bristol, by UWE and the MoD, some road works have recently sprung up as they rework a junction. Unfortunately, these road works block a very busy cycle path, and the diversion suggested by the council is so elongated that cyclists are cutting across a three lane road. The response has been to install orange barriers which in my opinion just make things worse.

I've attached a map link (which you can use to StreetView before the junction works started), an image showing routes, and my emails to the council. I'm posting this mainly for information, as the path is very well used so commuters here can share the information that I've got from the council - however comments from anyone are welcome.

Map Link: http://maps.google.c...4,0.004823&z=18

Image (attached). Green = Normal cyclist route. Red = Area cordoned off. Blue = Route taken by most cyclists, including crossing the three lane road. Orange = the barriers installed to stop this. The effect is that the blue line now just goes round them. Yellow = (goes off image) the route suggested by the council.

Sent: 08 April 2011 10:21
To: Mark Parry
Cc: TransportServices
Subject: FAO Mark Parry and Neil Sumner

Morning Both,

I've just spoke with Jenny who informs me that you have another call in relation to this issue, so I'll keep it brief but can supply further information if requested.

I'm writing about the road works that are occurring between Cold Harbour Lane and the A4174 Ring Road. I normally commute along the Ring Road, from the M32 junction towards the MoD. The road works have blocked off part of the cycle path (which if the work is needed is not an issue) with a diversion to go down the Filton Road slip road which connects to Cold Harbour lane. I've been using this for a few days without an issue, and accept that the road works are probably temporary.

The issue is that at the end of Filton Road (joining Cold Harbour lane), cyclists who don't want to go to UWE and want to continue up the A4174 towards the MoD have to do a right turn at a no right turn junction. This obviously confuses cyclists and motorists and can be quite dangerous. However, to make things worse, orange barriers have been erected in the middle of the carriageway to prevent cyclists from right turning. This means that you have to join Cold Harbour lane heading in the direction that you don't want to go, then perform an even worse illegal manoeuvre crossing two lanes of oncoming traffic once past all the orange barriers.

Given the frequency of cyclists on this path, this feels to me like quite a danger. I'd appreciate it if someone could take a look, as I can't currently see a safe or legal way to cross this junction at all.

Map link:
http://maps.google.c...4,0.004823&z=18

Hope this is helpful/clear - feel free to call me on 0XXXX XXXXXX and just leave a name/number if I can't take your call.

Thanks,

Thank you for your email (copy below) regarding the roadworks at the junction of Coldharbour Lane and the ring road.

We have closed the East – West cycle crossing at the end of Coldharbour Lane (At it’s junction with the Ring Road). This is in order to build the new pedestrian /cycle traffic islands for the widened junction that we are constructing.

Everyone should be diverted along the Filton Road path and down the newly constructed Coldharbour Lane path to the existing Toucan Crossing (about half way to the UWE roundabout approx. 180m away). This is the safest place to cross Coldharbour Lane and the diversion signs should direct Cyclists and pedestrians along this route.

The barriers were placed along Coldharbour Lane opposite the Filton Rd junction to try and stop pedestrians and cyclists making an unsafe crossing of Coldharbour Lane at the end of Filton Road junction.

I have checked with the contractors site supervisor for the Coldharbour Lane works and he expects the closure to be on for about 4 weeks (depending on works going to programme of course). We have also employed 2 traffic marshals during peak times and posted them at each end of the diversion to advise pedestrians and cyclists of the diversion route.

I apologise that the diversion to the Toucan crossing is perhaps longer than we would have liked. However, before it first went in I walked the route myself and timed it at about 5 minutes in total so hopefully it should not be more than a minute or two by bike.

I would like to thank you for your patience during the construction and hope that we can reopen the crossing soon.

Regards

Neil Sumner
Engineer - Highways Design
Transportation Services

Hi Neil,

Thank you very much for your quick and thorough reply. I also appreciate the efforts that you’ve obviously gone to below, including organising traffic marshals.

On Friday, I did notice the signs at the end of Filton Road saying (I think) “cyclists” or “diversion” pointing along Cold Harbour Lane in the direction of UWE, however my initial reaction was “that’s all very well, but that’s not in the direction I want to go”. I must admit that I was totally unaware of the Toucan crossing down the road. So, can I respectfully suggest that this is made clearer somehow? – perhaps a sign reading “cyclists and pedestrians continuing up the A4174 can use Toucan crossing this way” or similar – could even be hand written, as right now it is not immediately obvious from the ground and it’s not just me that missed it.

The other point I’d like to make is about how realistic this solution is, and how the barriers make this worse. The risk perceived by cyclists/pedestrians performing an illegal turn and then crossing two lanes of traffic is probably quite low (even if in reality it is higher than it looks), so convincing them that they need to travel app. 180m, cross at a junction, and then travel back that same 180m, is just not in reality going to happen. Even if you got the signage improved as I have suggested above, if brutally honest, how likely do you think it would be that most cyclists/pedestrians would use this elongated route, when they could just make an illegal turn and nip across two lanes of traffic?

Further to this, by installing the orange barriers, things have actually been made worse. Without the improved signs, many cyclists/pedestrians don’t know that the alternative route exists. However, even if they did, and have chosen not to use it, you’ve actually made their passage more dangerous by making them join into the slip lane that joins Cold Harbour in the wrong direction, work past the barriers, then surprise motorists by switching across.

Can I respectfully suggest:
- that the signage is improved as suggested above
- that the orange barriers are removed because as the alternative route is so elongated we just have to face it that many people are going to cross at this point and by making it more difficult with orange barriers you’re just increasing the chances of accidents.

I hope that these comments are taken in the spirit that they are meant. Hopefully, if your contractor site supervisor’s estimate is accurate this problem will disappear by itself in four (now three?) weeks, but I hope that these comments are also useful for future junction closures.

Thanks,

Hope this is useful - I'll update with any responses I get.

MG

 

[evita4]

Dear all concerned

I use this route between Filton and Frenchay for commuting by cycle almost every weekday sometimes on more than one occasion. In response to Neil's reply for which I have no referral date but assume it to be sometime in mid April, I would like to question the statement, " I have checked with the contractors site supervisor for the Coldharbour lane works and he expects the closure to be on for about 4 weeks (depending on works going to programme of course)". I spoke to the site manager responsible for construction project two weeks ago and he informed me that due to the changed layout of the A4174 / Cold Harbour Lane junction a complete new traffic control system was required at his this junction, the installation of which had not been forseen by the Highways design team for the Transport department of South Gloucestershire council. This work, to be carried out by Siemens was apparently under the control of the Highways design team and not the contractors Lafarge. I was further informed that the extra work would take approximately 6 weeks making completion of the junction around the end of June.
It is fairly obvious that someone is not coming clean on this matter as the contents of Neil's letter are contradictory to what I have been told by the contractors. In the meantime continual inconvenience is being suffered by those of us who cycle not only in the pursuance of health but also to help reduce the extremely high carbon footprint caused by vehicle traffic in this part of South Gloucestershire.

Thanks to the individual who originated this particular topic

 

[snorri]

Might be worth bypassing the engineers responsible for this particular project and enlisting the assistance of the Cycling Officer.

(Assuming the Roads dept. has a Cycling Officer.)

 

[mgarl10024]

Hi Evita4,

Thanks to the individual who originated this particular topic

I've glad it was useful.

The email from Neil was dated 8th April so your guess wasn't far out.

I also attended the Cycle Forum on the 11th May - http://www.southglos...4b-439841b8552f and I quote from the minutes http://www.southglos...0/PTE110131.pdf

It was queried when the work on Coldharbour Lane and to the Ring Road would be completed. Cyclists are not using the crossing. Barriers have been put up half way but now cyclists are cutting across 2 lanes which is more dangerous.
It was requested that barriers be put along the full length or completely removed. MP to investigate. Works should be completed in the next couple of weeks.

At the meeting, I made reference to my emails to Neil Sumner, and the 4wk estimate, and Mark Parry (the chair) agreed that he'd also read 4wks and that he'd check for me. I never heard anything, which was disappointing. Neil never responded either which was pretty poor.

However, the good news is that I happened to come home that way this evening and crossed the junction for the first time! A cyclist crossing at the same time commented to me that only that morning he'd had to go around the barriers. So, if you're reading this, why not give it a try and examine the new junction for yourself.

Thanks,

MG