Progress on Westerleigh traffic calming scheme

Last Thursday Claire Young walked round Westerleigh village with the highways engineer now responsible for the traffic calming scheme, Parish Councillors and a representative of Community Speedwatch. The engineer, who has taken over the scheme since the previous officer left the council, proposes the following:

• installing a road narrowing at the existing 30mph/40mph gateway along Shorthill Road approx 0.5m either side of the carriageway
• installing a road narrowing just north of the Old Parsonage on Westerleigh Road approx 0.5m either side of the carriageway.
• investigating the Broad Lane junction in more detail with the proposal to build out the existing verge, possibly with kerbing and tarmac to narrow the road in line with the potential Yate cycle path. The officer will arrange a meeting with the engineer dealing with the proposed cycle path to ascertain what can be achieved within the same cost as a road narrowing. This will most likely not happen at the same time as the other two narrowings due to the complex nature of the work involved.

The Vehicle Activated Sign will remain at the existing location along Shorthill Road. The engineer advised that relocating it on the other side of the road, as had previously been proposed, would not be as effective. Drivers coming down Shorthill Road will see a series of reasons for slowing down – the 30mph limit will start right up at the crossroads, there will be the road narrowing at the entrance to the village, then the Vehicle Activated Sign, then the warning sign for the speed table and then the speed table itself. The officer hopes the speed limit signs can be installed within 2 weeks.

As previously reported, a report on the objections to the speed table will go to the next Planning, Transport and Strategic Environment Committee meeting, which starts at 3pm on Wednesday 20th November in Kingswood Civic Centre. Members of the public are welcome to attend to give their views before the decision is made.