Tatnam Road reconsideration

But campaigners for and against the Tatnam Road closure decision have been warned that the BCP Council's cabinet is under no obligation to reverse or change the original closure decision made last year.

A 9-5 vote at Monday’s overview and scrutiny board agreed that the decision made by the portfolio holder under delegated powers should be referred to a cabinet meeting on December 15.

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The board vote backed a claim from Parkstone councillor Ann Stribley that the transport portfolio holder, Cllr Mike Greene, had given undue weight to the opinions of Poole Town and Oakdale ward councillors who were in favour of the permanent closure, compared to a wider public consultation where around 80 per cent were said to be against.

Copy of the leaflet

The decision to shut the road at its junction with Sterte Road and Stanley Green Road is said to have resulted in longer journey times for some drivers and increased congestion, according to campaigners for the road to be re-opened; while supporters say the area is now safer for pupils attending three local schools and the road itself is now more widely used by cyclists and pedestrians, with residents getting better sleep and clearer air.

Tatnam Road was ear-marked by council officers as one of the key Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole routes for possible closure because a 20mph scheme had failed to slow traffic. Between 2017 and 2019 there had been nine accidents dealt with by the police and residents had long complained it was being used as a rate-run by speeding drivers.

Board chairman Cllr Steve Bartlett said the council had been ‘inundated’ with letters and emails after a campaign by Conservative councillors started to get the decision referred to the Cabinet – with more than 80 arriving between Friday evening and Monday morning.

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Around a dozen, which had arrived before the deadline for the meeting, were read to councillors, most of them from residents of the now closed road asking for it to stay shut.

Cllr Bartlett ruled that the debate was not about the closure decision itself, but how the decision had been made and whether that complied with council rules.

Cllr Greene said his starting point for all of his delegated decisions was the views of ward councillors, who he said, were the local experts on their wards, followed by consideration of any other views and the consultation results.

He said it was this process that led him to decide on closure although he admitted there was likely to be an increase in driving time and, consequently exhaust gases, as a result although this had to be balanced against Government policies towards traffic-free neighbourhoods where that was possible.

He said that supporting his decision was a finding that closure would only add 18 seconds to car journey times, although many have claimed it has been 15 minutes or longer, especially at peak times.