Redevelopment of the busy Maumbury Road junction will be starting in the New Year. The junction is one of the most important in Dorchester. Hemmed in by the railway bridges on either side, a large volume of traffic from Weymouth is funnelled into the junction where there are frequent jams. It’s also part of a key route for school children and cyclists, who are frequently ‘kettled in’ on the narrow pavement waiting to cross the road.
Chris Peck, Principal Transport Planner from Dorset Council, came to a Dorchester Transport Action Group (DTAG) meeting in September to talk through the work that is going to be carried out. The main changes are wider pavements, staggered crossing with islands, marked cycle lanes with 5-second early start and removing the filter lanes on both sides of Maumbury Road. Chris said that the improvements were aimed at prioritising pedestrians and cyclists and making the junction safer.
Giles Watts, Dorchester Transport Action Group Secretary said that, “We applaud these improvements, which will make the Maumbury junction safer for pedestrians and cyclists. However, these are minor improvements compared with what is actually required, which is a new pedestrian and cycling bridge across the railway line.”
However, such a scheme would undo most of the work that is now planned and so it is tempting to ask whether the substantial costs of the current plans might have been better put towards a bridge instead.
David Moss, Vehicles Lead for DTAG, added “The changes, whilst welcome, do not really prioritise the needs of active travellers at a junction used by pupils attending Dorchester Middle and Thomas Hardy schools, as well as those walking or cycling to the town centre. Until the design of highways is led by the needs of ‘active’ travellers rather than a traditional highway engineering approach, we will continue to see improvements that favour the motorists and make walking and cycling less attractive”.
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It’s not only dangerous on the bridge. You take your life in your hands when crossing any of the other roads, especially the road up to the station.