Testun llawn:
Private Citizen
Local Plan Main Modifications 2017
MM54-TR5
North Leamington Park and Ride scheme - area between Northumberland Avenue, Leamington Spa, and Warwickshire Nuffield Hospital; (Berricote Lane/Road - Thickthorn side of A46.)
I have lived in Sandy Lane Blackdown since early 1995. When practicable, which is usual, I travel by public transport - bus or train. My observations about MM54-TR5 are:
* Most traffic on the A452 to Leamington Spa is from the Kenilworth direction and A46 and is from 0730h-0930h. Most of this traffic is by car with a single occupant. Traffic in the reverse direction is from 1600-1830h. Both indicate that traffic is to and from places of work
* Students travelling by bus (U1, X17 and 11) to University of Warwick do so in the morning from about 0800h, Return University source traffic is from 1600h - about 1900h
o I conclude that morning traffic on the A452 is by people coming by car to Leamington for work in Leamington or surrounding areas, with congestion confined to periods of 2 hour each in the morning and in the afternoon/evening. Car traffic is mostly single occupancy.
o Workplace locations are unlikely to be convenient to P&R bus stops; hence those travelling to work by P&R would have an additional journey to the workplace, journeys which are unlikely to be served by public or other practicable transport. Thus current car traffic would not use P&R, rather it would continue in just the same way as is current.
o Those travelling to Leamington to shop by car, mostly likely not to be in the busy traffic time, would be unwilling to carry their shopping, to a P&R bus stop especially as the bus pass time threshold suggests use by the elderly and less strong.
o For cars, with more than one occupant, visiting Leamington to go to work or to shop, the total cost of P&R fares would exceed car parking charges in Leamington - where there are abundant payment car parks, payment road side parking, and non-payment roadside parking. Thus shopping journeys would continue as they do now.
* Proposal for a Park and Ride Scheme
o On the basis of the above, P&R would be a) of little value to resolve traffic congestion and b) certainly not be cost effective either to passengers or to the bus companies.
o Unlike Coventry and Oxford which, from my observations, have a broader time spread of traffic use, Leamington traffic is mostly for work (2 busy times per day) and not for tourists or shoppers - many of whom are bus-pass elderly people with a 0900h bus pass threshold limit.
o Furthermore, my observations on traffic are that there is no justification of any sort for a dedicated bus lane; Coventry has a P&R scheme at the Memorial Park. X17 only buses,
from Coventry-Leamington and reverse direction, stop there. This is not a dedicated bus service. For the many years I have travelled by X17 Leamington to Coventry, at various times of the day, there has never been an apparent need for a dedicated bus lane. The proposal for a dedicated bus lane along the A452 is, in my opinion, without merit or logic.
o Furthermore a dedicated bus lane along the A452 would require extensive widening of the A452, at great cost and great disturbance with detriment to and with consequential blighting, to adjacent properties.
* My conclusion is: The proposal for a P&R scheme has no justification on the grounds of alleviating travel congestion, reducing environmental pollution or cost benefits.
* Siting of P&R scheme
o The area, designated MM44 was originally identified for residential development (i.e. H44). Hence the latest proposal is for a new 3rd 'search area' for P&R. At a Public Examination 13 October, I understood WDC to withdraw a P&R scheme for H44. No evidence or costings or need has been published to justify this new plan.
o Road safety: The A452 from the Thickthorn island (A46 roundabout) is dangerous. Sandy Lane was closed, about 20 years ago, to traffic from A452 because of fatal accidents at the Blackdown-Stoneleigh junction. Even now there are at least 2 serious accidents per year - I live close enough to hear the noise from the collisions - at this junction.
o The MM54-TR5 proposal for the south side of the A452, will do nothing to remedy this road safety issue and will also prove to be dangerous, with morning traffic having to cross to the site.
o Therefore, irrespective of any supposed value -cost benefit; amelioration of traffic congestion, and environmental, for a P&R scheme in North Leamington, very extensive works would be needed to render the scheme safe; and at a huge cost, the source of funds for which do not appear to have been identified.
* My conclusion about a P&R scheme for North Leamington are:
o There is no justification that such a scheme would give the benefits of reducing traffic congestion from the A46 to and into Leamington Spa, would provide ameliorate road congestion at the 2 busy times of day, nor would they alleviate the dangerous nature of the A452 and Stoneleigh Roads and their junctions. Incidentally, the proposed scheme would not reduce environmental pollution - buses run on diesel fuel, now recognised as serious sources of noxious gases including Carbon monoxide and NOX.
* I also add, that the other 2 search sites - Blackdown and Bericote - suffer the same disadvantages - lack of evidence of cost benefit, dangerous situations requiring extensive, expensive, very considerable measures to ensure safety and huge blighting of property.
Dr Andrew Entwistle MBE
Sandiacre, Sandy Lane, Blackdown, Leamington Spa, CV32 6QS