1. Bradley Lane Bus Link
The consultation
Consultation dates: 1 July – 1 August 2022
We asked for your views on plans to improve the reliability of bus services, reduce traffic congestion on Ashburton Road and to support more environmentally sustainable travel choices by creating a bus and cycle gate between Hunterswell Road and Bradley Lane.
Background
Ashburton Road (A383) in Newton Abbot is the route for several bus services – 77, 77A, 88, 88A, 88C, 113, 193 and 672. These bus services are regularly delayed due to traffic congestion, especially at peak times. The aim is to improve the reliability of bus services and reduce traffic congestion on Ashburton Road by creating a bus and cycle gate between Hunterswell Road and Bradley Lane, allowing the 77, 88 and 88C bus services to be re-routed and bypass the often congested Dyrons roundabout.
A large proportion of people travelling to and from the town centre live in Highweek and to the west of Newton Abbot. Around one in five households in the area do not have access to a car. This scheme will help to improve their transport choices and opportunities. Furthermore, the proposals will enhance plans to redevelop town centre brownfield sites allocated in the Local Plan by providing bus and cycle links and reducing the need for car use for existing and future residents.
Design process
A study of the proposed new bus service route was carried out, including:
- which bus services could be re-routed;
- understanding what impact this route would have on future service users and residents compared with a do-nothing scenario;
- recommending measures required to ensure the route is restricted to buses and cycles only; and
- highlighting any possible safety concerns.
The outcomes of this study and resulting recommendations have formed the proposals.
The proposed scheme is for bus services 77, 88 and 88C to be re-routed, leaving Ashburton Road at the junction with Barton Drive, following the route of the existing 77A and 88A services, before continuing along Barton Drive, Hunterswell Road and Bradley Lane. Here, the services will re-join the current route at Highweek Street.
There is currently no vehicle access between Hunterswell Road and Bradley Lane. Therefore, the existing arrangement is not viable as a bus route. To enable buses to travel along the proposed route, a new section of road is needed between Hunterswell Road and Bradley Lane, creating a bus gate between these roads. This is proposed at the turning head at the southern end of Hunterswell Road.
View a detailed plan of the proposed bus gate, which includes the location of 'buses and cycles only signage.
The bus gate will be a single lane to accommodate one bus going in either direction at any one time and will also be suitable for cycles. The 77, 88 and 88C services currently operate on a combined frequency of four buses per hour. A short section of pavement will connect the existing link from Hunterswell Road into the proposed development.
Changes to these routes will mean the 77, 88 and 88C no longer stop at several existing bus stops along Ashburton Road. This includes the Newton Abbot Leisure Centre and Coombeshead Academy stops. This change will also affect stops along Exeter Road and the stop for Newton Abbot College.
Route changes will benefit a proportion of Barton Drive and Hunterswell Road, the redevelopment of Bradley Lane, the proposed development site at Bradley Barton and residents from the wider area including the new neighbourhood at Houghton Barton. The proposed new bus stops will be on:
- Barton Drive, on the bend outside of and opposite number 65;
- Hunterswell Road, to the side of number 9 and number 49; and
- Bradley Lane, outside of and opposite Mill Court.
Because there is a low volume of traffic along these roads the buses will stop on the road rather than a layby.
The 77A and 88A will continue along their existing route ensuring that stops along Ashburton Road and Exeter Road (Newton Abbot College) are served by frequent bus services. These stops will also continue to be served by the infrequent 113, 193 and 672 services.
There are also longer term plans for a strategic figure of eight bus service around Newton Abbot that could make use of this route, serving existing and new neighbourhoods including Houghton Barton area near Seale Hayne.
Parking restrictions
To enable this new bus route, parking restrictions will be introduced along Barton Drive, Hunterswell Road and Bradley Lane. This is to ensure suitable visibility at bends, allow for the movement of the bus without significant delays to journeys and provide locations where vehicles can pass each other.
Barton Drive will have an allowance for two passing places, defined using no waiting at any time double yellow lines, to provide enough carriageway width for a bus to pass through unhindered.
Bus gate enforcement
The bus gate is only suitable for buses and cycles. To prevent misuse of the bus gate by general traffic, an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera will be installed and Fixed Penalty Notices will be issued to offenders.
Images
You can view the images associated with this consultation.