11 July 2020
Councillor Simon Bull, Green Party councillor for Winton East, is pleased to see temporary measures in the centre of Winton which "prioritise people’s health and safety over cars" during the Coronavirus crisis.
The beginnings of a move away from a car-dominated high street towards a multi-modal use of public space have been implemented in the busiest part of Wimborne Road where traffic cones have been used to mark off part of the road to widen pavements. This allows sufficient width to enable pedestrians to queue for shops, and to pass in both directions, while still keeping physical distance. This has been enhanced by the use of pavement stickers reminding people to keep two metres apart and to keep to the left to facilitate easier flow of movement.
However, Simon said: “There is still more that could be done to ensure people’s safety, particularly at busy junctions on Wimborne Road, like the one with Withermoor Road, where cars speed round the corners. Parking on the road could also be restricted in this area.
"Councillor Rigby and I have looked into re-routing the traffic around Wimborne Road to reduce traffic flows to at most one-way. However, it would all cost money which is not readily available.”
"Generally it's very important to move away from the car-dominated public realm that we have, and to move more into a multi-modal use of space."
Other areas where cycling and walking have been prioritised over motor vehicles in BCP Council’s new plans include part of Poole Old High Street, part of the Quay, and closure of the Seldown entrance into Poole Park so that it is no longer possible to drive through and be used as a short cut.
