Cycle lanes and bus lanes are scrapped by BCP Council

Several major routes along the conurbation will no longer see additional cycle lanes and bus lanes as well as pedestrian improvements under revised and signed off plans. 

Boundary Road to Redhill Avenue and parts of Ringwood Road running up to Ferndown are amongst the roads no longer included in the plans going forward. 

Blandford Road from Hamworthy to Upton and Broadway Lane linking up to Parley Lane by Bournemouth Airport have also been axed.

Cycle lanes in Wallisdown Road (Image: Daily Echo)

The cut is being blamed on the government's recent announcement to no longer allocate additional money to the Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) which would cover the rising costs of construction. 

Rising construction, labour and fuel costs, growing inflation and changes to national design standards for cycling infrastructure mean south east Dorset’s original £102 million cannot cover all the work. 

Marc Griffin, TCF programme manager for south east Dorset’s Transforming Cities Fund programme, said he is “proud” of what has been achieved so far despite “unforeseen” inflated costs.

He added: “With work well underway on all six sustainable travel routes we are pleased to have our revised plans approved by the Department for Transport.  

Redhill Avenue in Bournemouth (Image: Daily Echo)

“Our efforts are now focused on building these important walking, wheeling, cycling and bus improvements that provide people with safe, active and eco-friendly ways of getting around locally.  

“We are committed to our original ambition of creating a fully connected network of sustainable travel routes across south east Dorset and are actively working to secure additional funding to facilitate this.” 

There are still a number of active travel schemes in the pipework that will be happening across the conurbation, starting later this year or in 2024.

Part of Ringwood Road will go ahead and other parts won't (Image: Daily Echo)

This includes along Ringwood Road, Poole, Castle Lane West, Bourenmouth from Redhill Roundabout to Broadway Roundabout, Benellen Avenue to Glenferness Avenue, Bournemouth and in Darbys Lane, Poole. 

Safer crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists are also planned from Holdenhurst Road to Ashley Road in Bournemouth and at Turbary Retail Park, along Ringwood Road from Mountbatten Roundabout to West Howe Roundabout. 

The investment was due to deliver 78 kilometres of new cycle and walking options and bus improvements across six “sustainable travel routes”.