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Wider footways, a parallel crossing and a reduced speed limit are being introduced near Upton Country Park, off the A35, near Poole.
The scheme will improve safety for drivers, following a number of collisions in recent years, and provide safer facilities for walking and cycling.
Improvements include:
- installing a new parallel crossing for pedestrians and cyclists on the approach to Upton Country Park from Poole Road
- widening footways from the Upton and Creekmoor directions towards Upton Country Park
- removal of the left turn lane from the A35 onto Poole Road
- tightening the junction Poole Road/A35 slip
- reducing the speed limit to 30mph from Upton Gateway roundabout/Poole Road leading to Upton Country Park
Vegetation clearance is also planned to re-establish the full available width of existing footways and improve visibility for users.
Ecological surveys have been undertaken, and careful maintenance and planting will ensure these habitats are left in a measurably better state, delivering a net gain for biodiversity.
General arrangement design drawing of Upton slip road safety scheme.
Construction
Work will start on Monday 13 January 2025 and take around ten weeks to complete.
To protect the workforce and minimise congestion throughout the roadworks, temporary traffic signals will be in place along with other temporary restrictions:
- the westbound A35 off-slipway at Upton Country Park will be closed for the duration of the work. A signed diversion will be in place via the next junction (Upton roundabout).
- no access to Poole Road, Upton for motorists travelling from Creekmoor (Upton Gateway roundabout). There will be a signed diversion.
- the two bus stops on the west bound side of Poole Road will be unavailable during the work, with customers directed to nearby stops.
Towards the end of the work there will be three nights of road closures for resurfacing.
Drivers from Creekmoor will still be able to access both the A35 and Upton Road from the Upton Gateway roundabout.
Anyone coming from Upton will still be able to access the Upton Bypass, Upton Country Park and Creekmoor from Poole Road.
Upton Country Park will be open as usual. Existing footways/cycleways will remain open for access to Upton Country Park and the wider area.