POOLE residents say the closure of an entrance to Poole Park will create ‘traffic chaos’ and are set to protest against the council’s trialled closure.

BCP Council announced at the start of the month that the entrance and exit points of the park at Whitecliff Road and Twemlow Avenue will be closed to vehicles this week.

A public consultation is set to launch on the same day, Wednesday, January 17, but residents argue the closure will be hazardous to the public.

Bob Lister, one of the founders of Friends of Poole Park, said he is ‘mystified’ as to why one of the main entrances is to close after more than 130 years of the park being open.

He said the closure will create ‘traffic chaos’ and by limiting vehicles to less entrances and exits it will be ‘far more of a hazard’.

Bob, who has been involved in the park for around 30 years, said he has never known of any accidents or problems between traffic and pedestrians or cyclists.

He argues that the closure will affect elderly and disabled residents, who are unable to access the park on foot.

“They can’t cycle, they can’t walk that far and if they live east of the park, where most of the main housing is, and they’re unable to walk or cycle then they have to drive.

“If they can’t drive then they won’t go to the park.”

Other stories: 

Poole Park entrance to be closed as council trial road closure

Woman looking for King's support to keep Poole Park entrance open

He added that often people from the hospital will come to the park for ‘some fresh air’ and that they ‘will not be able to leave the car’.

“It is going to make it very difficult for the disabled, elderly and the business in the park,” said Bob.

Bob, 75, has arranged a peaceful protest against the closure alongside Julie Caines, Geoff Beck and Sharon Hunt.

The group are calling for residents to wave placards and flyers at the event and to encourage others to fill in the public consultation on BCP Councils’ website.

Bob said the group will also be requesting BCP Council to restrict the consultation to people in the BH post codes, to prevent national groups becoming involved.

The protest will gather at Whitecliff Road Gate on Saturday, January 20 at 1pm.

Previously Cllr Andy Hadley, BCP Council’s portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy, said: “Trialling a closure of this entrance to the park alongside an online public consultation gives our residents the opportunity to comment, having seen how these proposed measures affects them and others."