RESIDENTS of a road Poole have been left disappointed by the council’s decision to reopen their road which the council had shut to traffic.
For more than a year, Kingsbere Road has been closed to passing traffic after BCP Council introduced the closure with bedding planters and orange poles.
The Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) in Kingsmere Road was used as a trial, but despite 68 per cent of people initially objecting to the regulations, the council went ahead and closed the road.
But residents of the road are fearing the road will revert to the “rat run” it used to be.
Resident Peter Atkins said: “I’m not over the moon because the volume and speed of the traffic that used to come through was terrible.
“For a tiny road it is absolutely horrendous, and what has aggravated it is closing off Darbys Road.”
Mr Ridout, also of Kingsbere Road, said: “It was a job parking your car on the driveway when all the cars were parked outside when school finished.
“It’s been a much nicer place to live since traffic access was stopped.”
Another resident added: “The council don’t take any notice of the residents. I’m not too happy about it. I fear the street will go back to the way it was, a rat run.”
Ward councillors Cllr Felicity Rice and Cllr Peter Miles had opposing views of the ETRO, with the latter wanting the restrictions removed.
Cllr Mike Greene, portfolio holder for sustainability and transport, said: “It is true that over time the measure might foster more travel by sustainable modes and that would be a positive outcome.
Read more: Darbys Lane and Kingsbere Road in Oakdale to close
“However, during the trial there was no direct evidence of that occurring and even if that did begin to increase over time, my view is that any increase is more likely to be fairly marginal and would not outweigh the disbenefits caused by the local displacement of traffic.
“Although the residents in Kingsbere Road itself are on balance in favour of the measure, far more residents on surrounding roads do not want the measure to be retained.”
A BCP Council spokesperson said: “Following a six-month public consultation on trial active travel measures introduced at Kingsbere Road in Poole, the portfolio holder has taken into consideration the views of local residents and ward councillors.
"Data gathered during the trial and the result of the consultation supports the decision to reopen the road to through traffic."
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