Purbeck traffic plan sparks village safety fears (From Bournemouth Echo)

Purbeck traffic plan sparks village safety fears

7:00pm Monday 23rd November 2009 in

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RESIDENTS’ safety will be put at risk by proposals to reduce traffic on the B3390, say four Purbeck parish councils.

They fear diverting vehicles from the road, which runs from Tolpuddle to Warmwell, will bring “safety and environmental threats”.

Dorset County Council deems the B3390 unsuitable for large vehicles and is encouraging them to use the A351/352 routes and also the C6, from Wool up to Bere Regis.

But the parishes have sent a joint letter to the county council urging them to reconsider.

“Traffic appears to be deliberately signed away from the primary routes at the expense of smaller villages,” said the letter signed by the parishes of Bere Regis, Owermoigne, Winfrith Newburgh and Wool. “Heavy traffic and larger vehicles are already impacting severely on Bere Regis, particularly near the school.

“Traffic is building up at Wool level crossing and clogging village centres, all of which compromises pedestrian safety and increases environmental pollution.”

The parishes say while they are “sympathetic” to traffic issues, they believed no adjustments should be made until the Weymouth relief road opens in 2012.

“It is felt that in the absence of a co-ordinated and coherent countywide road strategy, the price being paid by our communities is too high.”

The county council said it judged the C6 to be “a more appropriate route” than the B road.

A council spokesman said: “We are proposing to create an area weight and width restriction to reduce the numbers of heavy goods vehicles using the B3390 through Affpuddle and Warmwell, where the road is very narrow.

“The C6 is a high standard road and a preferred route under the Local Transport Plan for the area.”

A zebra crossing, vehicle activated signs and enhanced road markings had all been installed near the school in Bere Regis, added the spokesman.