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Should Magdalen Road changes be permanent?

Monday, 1 March 2021 09:37

By Daniel Clark, local democracy reporter

Magdalen Road; the no cars option

Exeter residents asked for views

Exeter residents are being given the chance to say how Magdalen Road should look in the future.

Devon County Council's public consultation sets out several different options for access and providing more space for pedestrians, cyclists and shoppers.

This follows feedback on the temporary changes, funded by the government’s Active Travel Fund, which are in place to support social distancing.

Magdalen Road is currently one-way for vehicles only between St Leonards Road and Denmark Road, and future options include keeping the current arrangement, reversing the traffic flow, removing all through traffic, and returning the road to how it was before the pandemic.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for highways management, said: “Given that previously events such as street parties have been held on the road, there are opportunities to provide more space for shoppers, pedestrians and cyclists.

“This consultation is only the first step of this discussion, and is a chance to influence and shape the future of Magdalen Road. No decisions have been made and I would encourage as many people as possible to give their views. We want to know if residents would support any of these proposals and if so, why.”

Option 1:

One-way westbound with contraflow cycle lane, making the current temporary layout permanent.

Vehicular traffic would be one-way westbound only (towards city centre) so that there is no queuing traffic from the signalised junction by the Mount Radford. A contraflow (eastbound) cycle lane would be provided.

The footway on the northern side of the street would be widened providing an extra 1.5 to two metres of level footway. This is wider than the additional temporary footway as the space used by temporary barriers would also become footway.

The additional footway space could be used for pavement cafes, additional seating, cycle parking or planting to enhance the attractiveness of visiting the street. Exact details of street furniture and loading areas would be finalised through further consultation. Existing on-street parking would be retained, but the direction of the bays changed to allow them to be driven into and reversed out.

Traffic management on surrounding streets, such as Denmark Road, Barnfield Road and Spicer Road would also form part of any change to Magdalen Road under this option.

Option 2:

One-way eastbound (with or contraflow cycle lane)

Option 2a is Magdalen Road to become one-way eastbound direction (a reversal to option 1) with a contraflow (westbound) cycle lane, with option 2b without the contraflow cycle lane. Cyclists travelling west towards the city centre would be diverted via Spicer Road.

Both options enable widening of the footway on Magdalen Road which could be used by businesses for pavement cafes, additional seating, cycle parking or planting to enhance the attractiveness of visiting the street.

Vehicles heading eastbound would queue at the Mount Radford signalised junction, resulting in stationary vehicles and more pollution on the eastern end of the street.

Under both options, measures to restrict through traffic on Spicer Road will be required as Spicer Road is an unsuitable route to provide a diversion loop for vehicles. The existing on-street parking would be retained, and vehicles with side entry doors would be facing onto the kerbside when loading or unloading

Option 3:

Low traffic neighbourhood - this will create a low traffic street and provide significantly more space for pedestrians. The option reduces all through traffic on Magdalen Road but maintains vehicle access for business and residents. This option is the most significant change and would be the most expensive, likely to require external funding and most time to implement.

Changes would provide more space for pedestrians and for outdoor seating for business. Gateway features and surfacing could be changed between St Leonards Road and Wonford Road. This would help to create an environment which visitors stay longer.

The option reduces all through traffic on Magdalen Road, with vehicular access between St Leonards Road and Wonford Road only for loading and access. Local vehicular access would be retained between Wonford Road and Denmark Road. Cyclists would be able to travel in both directions.

A comprehensive plan for local traffic management and vehicular access would also be needed to ensure traffic is not displaced onto adjacent residential streets. Existing on-street echelon parking bays would be changed. Additional on-street parking/loading could be provided on Magdalen Road between Wonford Road and Denmark Road and the on-street parking on Demark Road could also be moved to the other side of the road closer to Magdalen Road shops.

Should Magdalen Road be returned to how it was, with two-way traffic? (option 4)

Option 4:

Return Magdalen Road to the two-way traffic, which was the previous layout before the covid temporary measures.

All traffic management measures, additional footway and contraflow cycle lane would be removed, and two-way vehicle access from both directions reinstated on Magdalen Road.

This would increase traffic passing and viewing shops, along with a return of vehicles queuing at the traffic lights. It would be less attractive for pedestrians and cyclists than other options.

Closing date:

The Magdalen Road consultation is open until 17 March, and if there is support for permanent changes then a more detailed consultation will be undertaken on a preferred option. Details of the consultation and an online survey can be found on DCC’s website: https://devon.cc/magdalen-road

In addition, a consultation for Dryden Road has also been launched, after the temporary closure of Dryden Road was introduced in June 2020, also in response to the pandemic.

The temporary changes at Dryden Road along with Wonford Road, Ludwell Lane and Magdalen Road, have helped create a new quiet corridor, with lower traffic flows where people feel more confident to cycle.

 

 

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