Milborne St Andrew Parish Council has asked for a traffic management scheme to be developed in line with the aspirations set out in the Neighbourhood Plan.
Our engineers are working with the parish to look at ways to improve the pedestrian environment and slow vehicles travelling through the village centre.
The parish council is looking to use developer contributions on a scheme to:
- slow down all traffic through the 30-mph speed limit area on the A354 in Milborne St Andrew
- improve pedestrian safety, especially at the pinch point at the Royal Oak pub
- provide clear and accurate road markings to ensure drivers are aware of the potential hazards
The traffic management scheme could include a combination of the following:
- widening the footway adjacent to the pub by building out into the road, this would improve pedestrian facilities and slow vehicles through the village centre by installing a priority system
- removal of Vehicle Activated Signs and introduction of Speed Indicator Devices
- new uncontrolled crossing points, five potential locations have been identified
- enhanced village gateway lines and signs
- refreshed road markings, including edge of carriageway
- refreshed bus stop markings
Work is ongoing to establish the exact details of any construction and lining work.
Temporary build-out
Following our review of the traffic management study, the parish has asked us to develop a design for a build-out adjacent to the pub to enhance the pedestrian environment while helping to manage traffic through the village centre.
Although traffic modelling has demonstrated that westbound priority running is possible, there is concern that a permanent installation would be difficult and costly to remove if unsuccessful or problematic.
For this reason, the system will be put in as a trial for three weeks in October 2024, where driver behaviour can be recorded and traffic data collected.
The temporary road layout will use traffic management features usually associated with roadworks; waterfilled inter-locking barriers and A-frame temporary signs, with the arrangement mimicking the proposed permanent build-out design to provide ‘real-time’ data.
- Traffic travelling westbound towards Dorchester will have priority through the narrowed section
- Traffic travelling eastbound towards Blandford will give way to oncoming traffic
- Footways will remain open
The trial is intentionally taking place during half-term to gather data from a ‘normal’ commuting week and from ‘holiday traffic’ movements.
- Temporary build-out installation – Monday 14 October
- Temporary build-out removal – Friday 1 November
The data collected from the trial will help us make a decision regarding the effectiveness of the proposed permanent build-out feature.