THE latest government proposals for improving transport in Bournemouth and Poole are "unacceptable", says Bournemouth Council leader Peter Charon.
The South East Dorset Transport Study is intended to come up with a plan for transport improvements for the next 20 years.
But some of the recommendations in the latest consultation document have left Bournemouth Borough Council members appalled.
Writing in his weekly leader's blog today, Peter Charon says: "Whilst there are a number of policies in the draft that we were pleased to see... there are a number of recommendations in the draft that we find either unacceptable or which have failed to demonstrate that there has been sufficient analysis of the issue or wider public consultation, particularly in Bournemouth."
He says the council will oppose these recommendations and urges readers to do the same.
Read Peter Charon's comments in full on his blog
The controversial proposals include:
• reducing the voume of traffic in town centres by increasing parking charges and reducing long stay parking spaces, replacing them with park and ride sites
• building a park and ride at Northbourne on "an environmentally sensitive area" next to Cherry Tree Nursery;
• a long-term proposal for a relief road from the airport going west to Milhams along the flood plain in north Kinson
Other recommendations in the study include:
Before 2020
• bus "showcase corridors" to improves travel times between Poole and Christchurch and in North Bournemouth
• rail links to Swanage and more trains between Wareham and Brockenhurst
• designated lorry routes
• widening the A31 at Ringwood and improvements to the Canford Bottom junction
After 2020
• More bus corridors extending to the airport, Ferndown, Wimborne and east of Christchurch
• widening the A338 from Blackwater to Cooper Dean
• building a light rail system from Hamworthy to Christchurch, running on streets in Bournemouth town cente
You can see all the short term proposals on this map and the long term proposals on this map.
You can download the consultation leaflet and have your say by clicking the link below.
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