Why are transport planners taking the pavement away from a section of Barrack Road, adjacent to the Alms houses and between Heavitree Road and Magdalen Road?
Devon County Council are consulting on changes to the transport network in Exeter using funding from the Bus Service Improvement Plan. To facilitate the proposed northbound bus lane on Barrack Road, the existing pedestrian refuge in the centre of the uncontrolled crossing across Barrack Road at the junction with Heavitree Road is required to be removed. The eastern footway between Magdalen Road and Heavitree Road would also need narrowing to facilitate the carriageway width required for the proposals.
At Road Safety Audit Stage 1, it was highlighted that by removing the existing refuge island, pedestrians would be required to cross the carriageway in a single movement, the longer crossing distance could increase risk to pedestrians being struck by vehicles. As well as this, the narrowed footway width would fall short of the recommended minimum acceptable width of 1.5 metres as outline in the Department for Transports “Inclusive Mobility” document, thus forcing pedestrians to the edge of the footway or even into the carriageway when passing other pedestrians where they could be struck by vehicles. As a result it was recommended that the uncontrolled crossing facility and eastern footway be removed completely in order to remove the associated risks.
The western footway would remain, enabling pedestrians to continue to travel between Heavitree Road and Magdalen Road along Barrack Road. The signalised crossing across Barrack Road at the junction with Magdalen Road would also be retained providing a safer controlled crossing facility for pedestrians compared to the uncontrolled crossing with refuge island proposed to be removed. The footway does not service any other movement apart from the uncontrolled crossing across Barrack Road as there is no crossing point across Heavitree Road for pedestrians east of Barrack Road, thus would not be needed if the crossing were to be removed.
Have planners completed an impact/ risk assessment for visually impaired/ guide dog users who are negatively affected by any removal of pavements? Pavements/ kerbs are important landmarks for visually impaired and guide dog users and ensure independence and therefore can planners provide evidence that indirect discrimination has been considered?
Under DCC guidance, it recommends Impact Assessments be produced for new or changing policies and strategies and so we produced one for the Bus Services Improvement Plan, which the Exeter Central and Eastern corridors fall within. Find the impact assessment for Devon’s Bus Service Improvement Plan here: Bus Services Improvement Plan.
Both the Central and Eastern Corridor schemes are currently at public consultation and to ensure that we reach the intended audience for this scheme, a number of pre-engagement events have been held in advance of the public consultation itself. These pre- engagement events included organisations representing people with disabilities, bus user groups, community groups, businesses and bus operators. This included the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).