BELMONT RURAL PARISH PLAN

Traffic
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Present position

The A465 trunk road from Hereford city to South Wales divides estate households in an approximate ratio of two (north) to one (south). Traffic is heavy at all times and there are often considerable delays at rush-hours. Within the estate there is only one crossing - from Tesco to the Eastholme Community Centre. The road is very narrow there and many drivers seem unaware of, or ignore, the light control. A fatality has occurred there.

Traffic calming
For.......................36.6%
Against.................34.7%
No opinion...........28.7

More crossings
For........................35.7%
Against.................40.8%
No opinion...........23.5%

The estate is nearly complete and it is possible to establish recurrent traffic patterns

See appendix b, page 29, for Herefordshire Council responses to key traffic issues in Belmont

Issues identified

TROUBLE SPOTS l Crossing Abbotsmead Road to reach Tesco. l The CH7 footpath crossings at Abbotsmead Road, Northolme Road and Dorchester Way.

Policy

 The status of the A465 30 mph limit (near Tesco) is being changed from “temporary” to “permanent”. A 40 mph speed limit extension, from this point to Ruckhall Lane, has always been seen as locally desirable, and Belmont Rural PC will continue to push for this.

QUOTE

What are the worst features of life on the Belmont estate?

166 households out of 320 said - TRAFFIC !

 A city bypass, if it happens, will form part of a 25-year integrated transport plan. A consultant report suggests a cost of £42m for a relief road on the west, and £61m to the east. The PC will consider all proposals and consult residents before supporting either.

Note: Of Belmont residents surveyed, 93.69% were in favour of a bypass.

 Herefordshire Council (page 29) says the estate has a good road safety record and is low on the list for traffic calming. The relocation of Tesco’s filling station to the other side of Abbotsmead Road will include an extra crossing for the latter.

 If the CH7 footpath is upgraded, it should be possible to include traffic calming at the three points mentioned in “Trouble spots”, above

Policy

To continue to monitor traffic on the estate and to support, in principle, a relief road.

Time scales

Traffic calming (general). Ongoing.

Traffic calming (CH7 intersections). Medium term (Three years)

Abbotsmead Road crossing. Short term (One year)

Trunk road speed limit (A465). Long term (Three-plus years)

Partners

Herefordshire Council

Belmont Rural parish council

Highways Agency