23 February 2023
Local residents and business owners have raised several concerns about road safety along Charminster Road, particularly on the stretch of road between Castle Lane and East Way which is used by many local families travelling to and from the local schools.
Hard-working local campaigner Kate Salmon has been pushing the Council for a new pedestrian crossing opposite the row of shops near the junction with Malvern Road. She has submitted her popular petition in support of this, signed by almost 150 local residents - handing it in a second time [pictured] after the Bournemouth Daily Echo covered Kate's campaign, leading to more signatures.
The Council said they were aiming to schedule assessment of the site in Autumn 2022. Kate has been asking for an update, but has not heard back.
The Council had warned of a long backlog of new road safety proposals. They appeared to admit there had been no one handling them for BCP Council’s first two years.
Following conversations with residents in the area, Kate had also asked the Council to consider safety improvements to the junction between Charminster Road and West Way. The junction has a wide, shallow curve which allows drivers to turn from Charminster Road into West Way at high speeds, raising safety concerns for other road users.
Kate has now applied to Dorset Police for the junction to become a Community Speed Watch area.
