Poole town centre to/from Wareham Road, Holton Heath

Walking and cycling improvements between Poole town centre and Holton Heath are proposed to help make journeys safer, easier and more enjoyable. Running between Twin Sails Bridge for access to Poole town centre and Wareham Road, near Holton Heath, this route would involve upgrades, including crossing and junction improvements, along Blandford Road.

The improvements would also better connect residential areas on either side of Blandford Road, while a quiet route would utilise residential streets, including Woodlands Avenue and Symes Road, to existing routes through Upton County Park.

Based on the feedback we received during the consultation, we are now developing designs and have started construction on a number of the proposed routes. Please click here for the latest information on the TCF programme.

The route was divided into four sections as shown on the following picture:

Find out more about the proposals in each section by clicking on the blue headings below.

About the improvements

Rigler Road - proposals in this section include:

• Light segregation (eg flexible poles) added to separate existing on-road cycle lanes on both sides of Rigler Road
• A new shared use path to be installed near Eccles Road, connecting to the existing bridleway behind Carter Community School

Rigler Road – Inglesham Way - proposals in this section include:

• A new 20mph zone along Blandford Road, between the Tuckers Lane junction and Poole Bridge
• Improvements to the existing bridleway behind Carter Community School
• A new shared use path and crossing facilities on Blandford Road near Carter Community School
• A new signalised junction where Blandford Road meets Coles Avenue/Hinchliffe Road
• New planting on Woodlands Avenue, near the Beckhampton Road junction, to create a quieter route for people walking and cycling – no access for vehicles beyond this point in either direction as a result
• Blandford Road/Lake Road junction to be improved with crossing facilities, new shared paths and removal of the right-turn lane on Blandford Road
• The shared path connecting Blandford Road and Beckhampton Road to be improved
• Inglesham Way junction improved with new crossing facilities and shared paths
• Paths around Harkwood Drive improved providing shared space for cycling and walking

Inglesham Way – Sandy Lane - proposals in this section include:

• Blandford Road/Dawkins Road junction redesigned with wider footways, new traffic lights and controlled crossing points
• A new two-way cycle lane on the eastern side of Blandford Road, between Symes Road and Dawkins Road junctions
• New wayfinding signage towards Hamworthy train station
• Upgrades to the shared use path between Blandford Road and Symes Road
• Road markings to raise driver awareness of cyclists on the road near the railway bridges on Blandford Road
• New and improved crossing points around Willow Close and Sandy Lane
• Improvements to the existing paths through Upton Country Park

Sandy Lane - proposals in this section include:

• New wayfinding signage and better crossing facilities on Sandy Lane and Watery Lane, with drainage improvements to avoid the route flooding. The route could alternatively follow Slough Lane, rather than Watery Lane
• The existing footpath upgraded to shared use for pedestrians and cyclists, designed to accommodate tidal flooding – the route would be screened from the A35 and run along the edge of the nature reserve, developed alongside the RSPB
• A new shared use bridge would be installed across Sherford River, with the shared use path continuing along the riverside to connect with Wareham Road

Further information on the proposals

There are some aspects of the programme which apply to all routes and sections:

E-scooters

BCP Council is participating in the Department for Transport’s 2021 trial for rental electric scooters. The rental scooters can be used on roads, signed cycle lanes and shared cycle/pedestrian facilities in Bournemouth and Poole. Private e-scooters are still, and will remain, illegal for use on public roads and cycleways. Find out more from the BCP website.

Biodiversity

Where the removal of trees or other vegetation may be needed as part of the TCF proposals to deliver sustainable transport infrastructure, we will be aiming to deliver biodiversity net gain. This means we would undertake new planting, for example, at the same place or another location in south east Dorset to ensure that habitats which may be affected by our programme are in a better overall state than before the work started. We will work closely with relevant statutory environmental bodies and other groups, including council parks and tree officers, to assess the impact on any trees or vegetation as the proposals develop.

Wayfinding

As part of the proposals to encourage more walking and cycling across south-east Dorset, a network of wayfinding signage is being introduced. More information about the works that are already underway is available from the BCP website. Additional locations where signage is being considered are identified in the detailed maps available as part of this consultation.

Maintenance

The proposed TCF routes would be managed within BCP and Dorset Councils’ ongoing maintenance programmes.