Turbary Park Avenue finally set to get crossing (From Bournemouth Echo)

Turbary Park Avenue finally set to get crossing

12:00pm Monday 15th October 2012 in News

Turbary Park Avenue finally set to get crossing

CAMPAIGNERS look set to win their battle for a safe place to cross a mile-long Bournemouth road.

Turbary Park Avenue has no crossing even though it runs 0.98 miles and is heavily used by traffic avoiding nearby Wallisdown Road.

The road is used by people visiting a nursery, a playground and an Age Concern centre, as well as by dog walkers going to the nearby common.

Residents were told last year they would have to go on waiting and that there had been no record of serious accidents involving pedestrians over the previous five years.

But now a crossing is to be installed after Bournemouth won £4.6million from the government’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Ray Wills, chairman of the area’s ACT residents’ group, organised a petition over the issue which attracted hundreds of signatures last year.

“It’s fantastic – really good,” he said of the news.

“It’s so desperately needed. Initially there will be one on the Columbia Road end of Turbary Park Avenue. I think there are moves to get another one put up at the other end.

“All there are at the moment are cameras. Most traffic slows down for the cameras and speeds up again.”

He said there could also be measures to slow traffic for the benefit of people with disabilities.

Ian Kalra, Bournemouth Borough Council’s transportation services manager, said: “The work planned along Turbary Park Avenue is part of the council’s smarter travel initiatives which aim to encourage more cycling, walking, and bus use across Bournemouth. As part of this scheme we are currently looking to provide safe pedestrian and cycling routes along Turbary Park Avenue, which will also include a number of crossings in the area.”

The crossing near Turbary Park Day Centre should be up and running next spring, the council said.