Consultation underway on controversial cycles-only Exeter street

We have said all along there is room for all on this wide arterial road'

People in Exeter can now have their say on the future of a controversial road closure on one of the main routes in and out of the city centre.

Dryden Road has been closed to cars since the pandemic, when it was turned into a cycles-only route to create a safe and traffic-free way to and from the city.

Supporters say it is a cleaner and safer option, but opponents say it has merely moved traffic and pollution to other nearby streets and created a hazardous ‘rat run’ through the nearby hospital grounds.

Exeter’s highways and traffic orders committee (HATOC) has launched the consultation on a number of possible options for the future of Dryden Road, ranging from leaving the road as it is to opening it up to two-way traffic again, with segregated lanes for cyclists.

A number of councillors at a recent meeting favoured ‘Option Three’, for two-way vehicle traffic with a ‘light segregated cycle facility’. Cycle lanes would be provided along the full length of Dryden Road, from Barrack Road to Wonford Street, and current restrictions would be removed.

Local activist Ian Frankum, who is among people who have been lobbying for the re-opening of the road since 2022, said: “This is the culmination of a lot of hard work liaising with local residents, hospital workers and those seeking a fair resolution to this closure.

“We have said all along there is room for all on this wide arterial road, and only Option Three provides that”.  

More than 4,000 people have already signed petitions seeking its re-opening.

Mr Frankum urged local people to make their voices heard by taking part in the consultation to send ‘a clear and unambiguous message’ to the council.

He said more than 40 local and city-wide key stakeholders had been contacted, and up to 3,500 local households would be leafleted.

Meanwhile, the Exeter Cycling Campaign also wants people to register their views in the consultation.

A statement from the campaign said: “The consultation is looking at measures to address local traffic concerns and to make walking, wheeling and cycling in the area safer, easier and more convenient.

“Once we have seen the details of the consultation we will share a Campaign view.  Our focus will be on safety and connection, solving issues raised by stakeholders and good value for money for hard-won active travel funding.”

As part of the consultation a drop-in event will be held on March 11 from 5pm to 8pm at Wonford Community Centre. Details of the proposals and the online survey can be found at https://dcctransportplanning.commonplace.is/.

The consultation is open until April 5.