Work on the first section of new sustainable transport infrastructure within the BCP Council area, part of a £100 million project, is due to start this month on Whitelegg Way.

The work which is part of BCP and Dorset Councils’ Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme will last until the autumn.

It will see new cycle lanes along both sides of Whitelegg Way between the Redhill and Northbourne roundabouts.

The project will also include improvements to bus stops and the pedestrian crossing, as well as walking and traffic control infrastructure.

Temporary traffic management measures will be in place during the works. The northbound road on Whitelegg Way will be closed with traffic diverted along Wimborne Road.

The southbound road on Whitelegg Way will remain open to traffic.

On-street parking along Wimborne Road will be temporarily suspended to facilitate traffic flows on the diversion route.

Julian McLaughlin, director of transport and engineering for BCP Council said: “It is great to see the first TCF project in the BCP Council area getting under-way.

“The improvements along Whitelegg Way are part of our multi-million-pound TCF programme, which has been designed to create a truly sustainable transport network in south east Dorset.

“The benefits of sustainable travel are well proven and it’s our ambition to transform local travel and give people the option to get out and about without having to rely on their cars.”

Plans for these improvements were informed by responses gathered during public engagement in late 2020 and formal consultation which ran from February 24 to March 31 this year.

Overall, the proposals were well-received with broad public support. A small number of responses questioned whether Wimborne Road could be used as the cycle route rather than Whitelegg Way. Whitelegg Way is the council’s preferred route as it offers a safe, direct route separated from traffic for people cycling along the Merley to/from Christchurch sustainable travel route.

Wimborne Road is also the main bus route between Redhill roundabout and Northbourne roundabout with a number of bus stops.

Where possible designers will separate the movement of people cycling from people joining or leaving a bus. By constructing cycle lanes on Whitelegg Way the movements between bus passengers and people cycling are fully separated.

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