Holdenhurst Road works near completion with road reopen

Part of Holdenhurst Road has had various traffic restrictions for months, including full closures, to allow “transformation” work to take place.

The closure was lifted over the summer holidays but returned in September.

The required work was expected to be completed over the weekend and the road reopened to traffic this morning.

Cllr Philip Broadhead, BCP Council deputy leader and portfolio holder for regeneration, Economy and strategic planning, said: “This has been part of a plan that has been in place for years now and we are finally seeing the work on the ground nearing completion.

“This is just phase one. We have big plans for the whole of the Lansdowne and the business district, linked in with the work at Cotlands Road which is being done by Bournemouth Development Company. Now we have FuturePlaces (the council’s urban regeneration company), they are taking the lead on pulling all of these elements together.

“I am hoping the work at Lansdowne will be a springboard for more to come in the future.”

The larger pedestrian area in Holdenhurst Road

Cllr Broadhead said there will be one small closure next month to install seating and planters but he added: “We are nearly there.”

Work on the public realm in Holdenhurst Road started in March 2021 and include a new event space in the heart of Lansdowne’s main business district, public art, new seating areas, a protected cycle lane, new infrastructure for buses and additional pedestrian crossings.

The scheme was funded by £4.8million secured by the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership through the Local Growth Deal and a further £2.9 million of council match funding provided from local contributions.

Morebus has confirmed its m1, 13, 17, 32, 50, X1, X2, and X6 will serve Lansdowne Road again, having used Christchurch Road as a temporary route during the closure.

The U1 will continue to travel along the diverted route, with the temporary stops still in use for this service.