Hill Lane temporary / experimental cycle lanes 2020
In early 2020, and without prior consultation, Council installed temporary / experimental cycle lanes on Hill Lane running down the west edge of The Common under the guise of a COVID-19 response to encourage green travel, avoid public transport and facilitate social distancing. All on street car parking between Bellemore Road and Burgess Road was removed to install the lanes. SCF had multiple, significant concerns about the scheme, its consequences and its method of implementation including:
- The lanes were only painted lines, not physically segregated, contrary to government advice on temporary lanes.
- This was not a well used cycle route, the disruption seemed disproportionate
- No consideration was given to improving cyclist safety on the Hill Lane / Burgess Road / Winchester Road double roundabout at the end of the lane, considered by Southampton Cycling Campaign as on of the 10 top priorities for improving cycling safety in the city, resulting in many cyclists mounting the pavement around the roundabouts.
- The amount of parking for Common visitors dramatically decreased at a time when local exercise was the only exercise permitted and when public transport was very limited and its use for non essential purposes was actively discouraged.
- The only official parking for The Common was on Cemetery Road which meant more traffic on The Avenue and having to travel much further into the City, against the ethos of encouraging green travel.
- The disabled parking which Council installed on side roads in mitigation was considered dangerous by our disability access adviser.
- The effective “widening” of the road appeared to encourage speeding by cars.
The scheme was widely opposed by many local residents and also by all 3 local councillors (all from the governing party).
SCF submitted a formal objection to the scheme, with constructive suggestions for its improvement and also gathered 7:00-9:00 am peak time survey data over several months to assess the actual level of use of the lanes, which were submitted to Council on a regular basis to inform assessment.
Copyright © Southampton Common Forum - 2021
Copyright © Southampton Common Forum - 2021
These data clearly demonstrated the lack of use of the lanes over an extended time period. Annotations on the raw data also indicate the continued use of pavements by cyclists.
In November 2020 Council agreed that the section of temporary lane between Burgess Road and Bellemore Road had not been a success and that this would be removed in January 2021 with restoration of on street parking, improvements to the junctions with side and additional disabled parking.
SCF remains committed to supporting green travel in and around The Common, but it must be the right schemes in the right place to address identified needs and delivered in line with best practice and government standards.
2 hour traffic counts on Bellemore Road to Burgess Road section of Hill Lane (7:00-9:00 am, , July to September 2020). Raw data, with annotations, available here.
SCC notice for the experimental lanes (click for larger view)
