Belgrave Road Feasibility and Design StudyUpdate Meeting – Presentation of Draft Options

2nd November 2015

Objective of today’s presentation

• To let you know what progress we have made on the analysis and designs

• To explain the principles of how we have developed the options so far

• To get some interim feedback on these ideas

• To set out the next steps of the process

STREET AUDIT

Street Audit

Aims: To understand how the Golden Mile functions for businesses, and what implications this has on the physical environment.

73 stores have been audited, with the following data collected:

• Type• Servicing and deliveries• Opening hours• Ownership• Number of staff and how they get to work• Issues and requirements

Fashion

Other

Jewellery

Restaurants

By use:

16%

23%

26%

35%

JewelleryFashionRestaurantOther

Travel to work:

54%

13%

1%

32%

DriveBusBikeWalk

Where are people parking?

80%

19%

2%

Mode

Side streetCar parkOther

Main issues:

26%

47%

18%

8%

Narrow pavementsCustomer parkingPublic tolietsTraffic speeds

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

You said, we listened

• You said that there was widespread dissatisfaction with the number of traffic signals on Belgrave Road

• We understand there is uncertainty about how significant changes to Belgrave Road might work

• You told us about importance of these four pedestrian crossings:– Cossington Street– Law Street– Rothley Street– Dorset Street

• We have developed three options based on the previous workshop:– Retain the existing arrangement of 4 traffic lanes– Reduce the number of lanes to 2, but keep the central median– Reduce the number of lanes to 2 and remove the central median

Existing situation

• Nine sets of traffic signals between Belgrave Circle and Melton Turn

• All pedestrian crossings require people to cross the road in two stages

• Pedestrians, motorists and cyclists all have difficulty moving across Belgrave Road

• Access to the car parks is not obvious

• Discontinuous provision for cycling

Existing situation

EMERGING OPTIONS

Common to all options

• Fewer traffic signals – improved efficiency of remaining signals

• Retained controlled pedestrian crossings at these key locations:– Cossington Street– Law Street– Rothley Street– Dorset Street– Abbey Park Street

• Pedestrians can cross the road in one go at these locations

• However, there are changes to minor road traffic movements to achieve this

• Provision for cyclists to cross Belgrave Road

• Bus laybys removed to maximise footway and minimise delay to buses

• Better access to car park at Belgrave Gate

Common to all options

Examples

Option 1 – Four traffic lanes with a central median

• The option that is most similar to the existing situation

• The junction at Melton Turn is simplified to operate more efficiently and with a better crossing arrangement for pedestrians

• Macdonald Road junction has signals removed but the junction is placed on a raised table – this slows traffic to make it easier to judge gaps in traffic flow, and a Zebra Crossing is also introduced

• The remaining five sets of signals are designed to operate with as few stages as possible: meaning the delay to traffic is minimised

Option 1

Option 2 – Two traffic lanes with a central median

• Pavements are widened – space available for coach parking

• Melton Turn – junction operates with Give Ways and Zebra Crossings

• Zebra Crossings also provided at Dorset Street and Moorgate Street

• Macdonald Road – priorities revised to improve access to car park, and to break up “platoons” of northbound traffic for a calmer environment

• Informal crossings provided at Cooper Street, Macdonald Road and Olphin Street – vehicles have priority but courteous behaviour encouraged by lower speeds

• The four remaining sets of signals are designed to operate with as few stages as possible: meaning the delay to traffic is minimised

• Cycle lanes provided on Belgrave Road

Option 2

Option 3 – Two traffic lanes

• Two traffic lanes in a single carriageway

• Pavements are widened – space available for coach parking

• Melton Turn – junction operates with Give Ways and Zebra Crossings

• Zebra Crossings also provided at Dorset Street and Moorgate Street

• Macdonald Road – priorities revised to improve access to car park, and to break up “platoons” of northbound traffic for a calmer environment

• Informal crossings provided at Cooper Street, Macdonald Road and Olphin Street – vehicles have priority but courteous behaviour encouraged by lower speeds

• The four remaining sets of signals are designed to operate with as few stages as possible: meaning the delay to traffic is minimised

• Cycle lanes provided on Belgrave Road

Option 3

PUBLIC REALM CONCEPTS

FOUR SPACES

GATEWAY FOCUS

FOUR SPACES

THE MILE

FOUR SPACES

MELTON TURN

FOUR SPACES

NEW ‘PEEPUL’ GARDEN

NEXT STEPS

Next Steps

• Base traffic model now complete

• Welcome initial feedback on traffic options and public realm ideas – by end of this week at the latest

• Traffic modelling will help us to refine the options to provide the most optimal solutions, which will be taken to consultation

• Public consultation begins 1 December with exhibition at the Neighbourhood Centre