WORK will start on Warrington’s first CYCLOPS junction to improve highway safety for cyclists a week on Monday (August 7) at a cost of nearly £930,000.
Warrington Borough Council’s Cabinet recently gave the the green light, with traffic notices now approved scheduling the start of works on August 7, for up to 16 weeks of footpath and road closures, while the works take place at the junction of Bewsey Road/ Lovely Lane.
This will see the first example of a Cycle Optimised Protected Signals (CYCLOPS) junction being implemented in Warrington.
Highway planners say the existing movement through the junction by cycle is ‘difficult and at times dangerous’, stating that a CYCLOPS junction has been identified as the ‘most appropriate’ solution.
The estimated cost to complete all of the scheme works is £928,893, made up of £759,500 from the Department for Transports’ Active Travel Fund, and £169,393 from capital borrowing.
The scheme will allow cyclists to approach the junction from four ‘arms’, converging onto a cycle track which completely encircles the junction, allowing bikes to make a right turn while being protected from traffic, and to complete the manoeuvre in one movement (dependent on signal timings).
The project is part of the council’s Local Transport Plan (LTP) and aims to make it easier and safer for children and adults to walk and cycle more so that they can use their car less, with the aim to achieve wider health and environmental benefits.
The CYCLOPS layout have a number of benefits over other junction layouts, including:
Crossing times for people walking are shorter and closer to desire lines
Separation of people cycling from motor vehicles and from people walking
The signal phase for people walking and cycling can run at the same time
Optimises the overall junction performance for all modes.
Warrington Borough Council has now made an Order under Section 14 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of which will be to introduce a prohibition of driving and footway closure as follows: (1) Lovely Lane from its junction with Bewsey Road/Lodge Lane/Folly Lane, to a point approx. 65m in a south westerly direction; (2) Lodge Lane from its junction with Bewsey Road/Folly Lane/Lovely Lane, to a point approx. 75m in a north westerly direction; (3) Folly Lane from its junction with Bewsey Road/Lodge Lane/Lovely Lane, to a point approx. 95m in a north easterly direction; (4) Bewsey Road from its junction with Lodge Lane/Folly Lane/Lovely Lane, to a point approx. 105m in a south easterly direction; (5) Boteler Avenue from its most southerly point, to a point approx. 25m north.
The Order will be effective from 7th August 2023 for 16 weeks. The works will be implemented as follows: Items 1 – 5, Footway Closure – Starting 07/08/23 for 16 weeks; Item 5, Road Closure – Starting 07/08/23 for 16 weeks; Items 1 – 4, Road Closure – Starting 09/10/23 for 3 weeks, between 19:00 & 23:00. The restrictions will be in place as and when signed on site. Access will be under the control of the relevant Contractor for the duration of the works. The alternative routes are: Lovely Lane via Folly Lane, Kerfoot Street, Winwick Road, Lythgoes Lane, Cockhedge Green, Midland Way, Froghall Lane, Priestley Street, Sankey Green Roundabout, Lovely Lane and vice versa; Lodge Lane via Folly Lane, Longshaw Street, Lilford Avenue, Lodge Lane and vice versa; Folly Lane via Bewsey Road, Tanners Lane, Winwick Street, Pinners Brow, Winwick Road, Kerfoot Street, Folly Lane and vice versa; Bewsey Road via Lovely Lane, Sankey Green Roundabout, Priestley Street, Froghall Lane, Midland Way, Cockhedge Green, Lythgoes Lane, Pinners Brow, Tanners Lane, Bewsey Road and vice versa. The restrictions are required to facilitate highway junction improvement works to install a Cyclops Junction.
1 Comment
I live in the area and I’ve never had a problem cycling. 930k for this load of nonsense.