Construction is due to start in March of new sustainable travel facilities along Wimborne Road. It will form part of the 27km green travel route linking Wimborne and Ferndown with Poole town centre as part of the £100m+ south east Dorset Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme, a joint project between Dorset and BCP councils which will see the largest ever investment in sustainable transport infrastructure in the region.
The first phase of works, between Canford Bottom Roundabout and the Wimborne Road/Cobham Road junction, is due to start in early March and will be undertaken in small sections up to 400m at a time. The works, which will continue until the autumn, include:
• Converting the existing footway on the north side of Wimborne Road West to a new shared path between Canford Bottom Roundabout and Cobham Road
• Installing a new signalised crossing point at Stapehill Road and revising junction layouts where Stapehill Road and Uddens Drive meet Wimborne Road East, giving more space to people walking and cycling
• Improving the Cobham Road junction, with a new pedestrian and cycling crossing installed over Cobham Road and a new pedestrian crossing installed over Wimborne Road to make it safer and easier to access the westbound bus stop
• Upgrading bus stop locations along the route, including two new shelters at Uddens Drive
• Improved signage for pedestrians, cyclists and mobility scooter users to help people find their way around the area
The TCF programme team will be holding an event on the Ferndown Industrial Estate before the start of construction as an opportunity for you to find out more and ask any questions you may have. More details on the event will be shared soon.
The second phase of works, between Trickett’s Cross Roundabout and West Moors Road, is set to begin later in March. Details of the traffic management associated with both phases of construction will be shared closer to the start of works.
Dorset Council will also be working with Southern Gas Networks (SGN) on this project, who will be replacing a gas main between Uddens Drive and Cobham Road at the same time. This will combine the projects and ensure traffic disruption is reduced as much as possible. Southern Gas Network’s project starts on 7 February 2022.
In the meantime, you can see further details about the project and the TCF programme on the Dorset Council website.