A FINAL decision on the controversial Keyhole Bridge traffic order will be made this autumn after a High Court ruling.

Keyhole Bridge at Whitecliff Road, Poole, was the subject of a BCP Council-backed Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) to close the road to traffic to make the area around Poole Park safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

The ETRO was to be in place for 18 months, however a council decision was subsequently made to withdraw the measures more than one month early and reopen the road. This resulted in a legal challenge lobbied by the Keyhole Bridge User Safety Group who argued the order was curtailed before all residents could provide feedback.

An extended period of public consultation was ordered by the High Court in November last year after a judge found BCP Council had unlawfully curtailed the initial six-month consultation early.

Bournemouth Echo: Keyhole Bridge in Poole during the ETROKeyhole Bridge in Poole during the ETRO

In order to “remedy the unfairness and unlawfulness which has occurred”, as said by Court of Appeal judge Mrs Justice Lang, BCP Council was ordered to conduct a further period of consultation from February 28 until April 8.

She did, however, say re-closing the road during this period was unnecessary it is “inconceivable that local people will have forgotten how it operated in practice”. As such, the road has remained open to motor traffic since the ETRO was lifted.

In making the ruling, the judge also said: “Those who have already responded ought not to send a further response, unless there is a genuinely new point to be made.”

Three months since the extended consultation, a BCP Council spokesperson said: “The results are currently being considered and a report will be presented to cabinet in the autumn to make decision as to what changes (if any) should be implemented.”

Bournemouth Echo: Wooden plant pots installed at Keyhole Bridge near Poole Park during the ETROWooden plant pots installed at Keyhole Bridge near Poole Park during the ETRO

The Council consulted on three options:

  • Option A – leave Whitecliff Road open to all traffic through Keyhole Bridge (as was favoured by the council ending the ETRO)
  • Option B – re-close Whitecliff Road at Keyhole Bridge to motor vehicles for a further trial period of 6 months using a new ETRO
  • Option C – permanently close Whitecliff Road at Keyhole Bridge to motor vehicles