The deadline for a consultation asking people what they think of proposals for change to improve Exmouth active travel in the area around Exmouth railway station was Monday 21 August. The Devon County Council document and invitation to participate is at Exmouth Active Travel Consultation (https://www.devon.gov.uk/haveyoursay/consultations/exmouth-active-travel-improvements/). And this had a link to the survey.
This is what John Petty, one of our active members, says about it:
Are you aware of the £2.7 million grant from the Levelling up Fund to improve the Exmouth Gateway, the area around the station and the sports centre? I think that the proposed layout, which has only been presented to a few people, is flawed to the extent that it could well result in a worse situation than at present and it totally ignores the real black spots.
There is a public consultation online but only till 21st August and hardly anyone knows about it. Knowing the way things work, I think the only way to rescue the situation is to organise a massive reply that cannot be dismissed.
If you are able to support this attempt to get the best outcome for the town, please take part. It is largely a tick box exercise but there is a space to copy and paste comments. Unfortunately the space for comments is quite small so I have produced a note which fits but it only summarises the suggestions. I believe it is the last chance to make changes and, for once, they can’t say that there is no cash for it.
As there is limited space here, I am summarising my suggestions below but a detailed document giving the reasoning behind them is being sent by email to transportplanning@devon.gov.uk as advised when attending their presentation.
I have now carried out a detailed analysis on this, but at this stage I feels it best to concentrate on three key issues which I feel are most likely to receive widespread support:
Proposal to fill in the underpass. Although the crossing is the preferred way there are still a surprising number who use the subway; it the only way to go to and from the town without interfering with the traffic and those of us who are slower can take their time without feeling they ought to be hurrying across the waiting traffic. Why fill it in, removing all the attractive landscaping, only to have to re-landscape it afterwards?
Proposal to add two extra pedestrian crossings and increase the centre of the roundabout to reduce lane width. Surely any motorist is going to say that this is a recipe for complete stagnation and why?
There is NOTHING proposed for the area which offers great scope for real improvements, both visual and functional. This comprises the passage between the station and M&S, the Stagecoach offices, the public toilets (surely vital for such an important part of the town), and the car parks beyond. This area could certainly provide a much better access to the car parks, a visible taxi rank, a well defined free parking area for pick up and drop off, with decent shelter for all these and the possibility of providing cycle and mobility hire.
You may wish to include these three points in any submission you make in the consultation, and below are my own more detailed comments based on many years of involvement in these matters. Please feel free to use or edit any part of my comments.
The draft proposals concentrate on much of the area that would benefit from relatively simple but very necessary changes. However, the substantial area which is a real disgrace to Exmouth, both visually and functionally, has been completely ignored although it is very much part of the Gateway, impacting on residents and visitors alike.
Suggestions:
1 Remove the short layby outside the station.
2 Reduce height of wall beside station ramp to remove blind spot.
3 Leave existing crossing in place and upgrade to Toucan.
4 Do not add two more crossings at the roundabout.
5 Do not increase the size of the centre of the roundabout.
6 Provide a pedestrian crossing much nearer (or at) the refuge at the Rolle St roundabout.
7 Do not build the two sections of segregated cycle path.
8 Widen the path from the concourse to the Sports Centre using some of the green space.
9 Improve visibility on the shared path on the Town side where it bends around the embankment.
10 If there is to be a bus stop outside the sports centre, consider a layby but move the shelter close to the road and route the shared path behind it.
11 Leave the underpass and the brilliant landscaping.
12 Upgrade the Manchester Rd crossing to a Toucan.
13 Delete the large, planted area in front of the station.
14 Look at whole area from station entrance past Stagecoach offices and public toilets and including the Station Users Carpark.
15 Replace the disgraceful toilets and repurpose the Stagecoach offices. Reorganise the car park to provide a properly laid out facility for pickup and drop off, taxi rank, coach loading/ unloading and, also for the 95 bus and the Land Train.
16 Really good signage is absolutely essential.