Teignbridge Cycle Forum Update – Apr 3rd 2020
Teignbridge Cycle Forum Update
April 3rd 2020
Thank you for your interest and support of the Teignbridge Cycle Forum. This has been, and remains to be, a particularly valuable way to identify local needs for new and improved cycling links. Due to Covid-19, clearly the usual annual Teignbridge Cycle Forum meeting with presentations is not feasible, so for this year I have put together a written update, which is below for your review.
Please note that we will also be setting up a Survey Monkey questionnaire to take on-board your targeted comments and input, and this will be circulated later this month via email. If you have any pressing comments or queries on this topic in the meantime please get in touch via this email: [email protected]
Teign Estuary Trail
Following the commitment by Teignbridge District Council and Devon County Council, in 2019, to dedicate £200,000 each towards the preparation of the planning application for the Teign Estuary Trail, there has been much progress made.
From Passage House Inn to Bishopsteignton, the latest designs have been issued to Network Rail and the other two landowners. There is agreement in principle with one landowner and DCC await further feedback from Network Rail and the other landowner.
From Bishopsteignton to the Morrisons junction, discussions on alternative alignments are ongoing with six landowners. Road Safety audits have taken place for the permitted development section adjacent to the A381.
Landscape, arboriculture and structural surveyors have recently been on site to carry out walkover surveys. Further visits, including those for ecologists, archaeologists and ground investigation, are also required
The estimated submission timeframe for the TET planning application is the end of 2020 / early 2021 (subject to potential extension due to the necessity for current postponement of survey work because of Covid-19). Securing funding for delivery of this route will be essential to enable physical delivery of the route, and Sustrans are a key stakeholder who we regularly update on progress. Sustrans sometimes has opportunities to access Department for Transport funding and other sources of funding that they can then distribute to suitable schemes.
Devon County Council has set up a TET webpage with project progress information collated here:
Teignmouth – Dawlish
This is a desired stretch of route that the Teign Estuary Trail will link into. The Dawlish – Holcombe part of this stretch is alongside Highway and is fully designed and ready for delivery subject to funding being secured. DCC & TDC have applied for the Coastal Communities Funding twice but have been unsuccessful due to the need for a significant level of direct employment generation as a core outcome for selected schemes. We have been updating Sustrans about this route regularly and if they secure any suitable funds then this could be delivered in a fairly short timeframe.
The remainder of the route, between Holcombe and Teignmouth, is currently under discussion. There is a designed route that is partially alongside the A379 and partially via Eastcliff Park PROW to the viaduct and Lido.
There isn’t clarity on whether Network Rail can provide a suitable route for both pedestrians and cyclists along the realigned promenade. Pedestrians will certainly be able to use the promenade alongside the railway but based on recent Network Rail consultation they had identified physical constraints for providing anything wider than a 3m wide path alongside the seafront, which would be constrained on both sides (by the seawall and by the railway), and which would not offer sufficient width for quality of use for both pedestrians and cyclists because of the popularity of this national walking trail route, volumes of use and potential for user conflict.
Devon County Council has provided a position statement that requests that Network Rail review this situation and attempt to overcome these physical constraints in order to achieve a suitable width for both walking and cycling alongside the seafront.
Please direct any responses / comments / queries on the Network Rail plans to them via the email below, and you can view detail on the plans on their website: https://consultations.networkrail.co.uk/communications/parson-s-tunnel-to-teignmouth-resilience-project-2/
Email for queries or comments on Network Rail resilience plans: [email protected]
Wray Valley Trail
Many of you will already know that the Wray Valley Trail opened just before Christmas 2019, and some of you may have already cycled, walked, or ridden horses on it. There have been many positive comments about the opening of these final two sections of the trail, 2km of quiet on-road route that has been signed via Lustleigh and 3.5km off-road northwards from Lustleigh. The Wray Valley Trail now connects all the way from Bovey Tracey to Moretonhampstead. This is a brilliant achievement of Devon County Council, with support of Teignbridge District Council and Dartmoor National Park Authority. This offers a good-quality recreational trail along ex-railway heritage, with opportunities for local businesses to benefit from custom of those using the Trail.
Newton Abbot East-West Route A383 Ashburton Road
The Newton Abbot East-West Route Phase 2 was completed last year, to extend the route westwards to Orchard Grove / the car wash from the existing eastern stretch by the Ashburton Road / Exeter Road junction and Coombe Academy. This route links many new and existing residents into the wider cycling network to reach employment and education facilities, the town centre, rail station and recreational trails. Please see the webpage below that hosts information on the route location and design, and further upcoming measures for better road-crossing links with the Jetty Marsh cycle and pedestrian paths:
A382 Improvements, Newton Abbot northern links
Devon County Council plans for improvements to the A382 between Whitehill Cross (near the Eden car sales garage) and Drumbridges roundabout were approved via planning in June 2017. The scheme is supported by Teignbridge District Council, and includes widening and some straightening of the existing road and the creation of a 3m-3.5m wide cycling and pedestrian route including bridge near Forches Cross for cyclist and pedestrian to cross the A38 safely. The scheme will improve road safety conditions, support and link allocated new development, and encourage sustainable travel.
DCC has worked through a series of conditions that are required and must be met following planning application approval, and works for Phase 1 of the route, between Whitehill Cross and Forches Cross began in late 2019, following a successful compulsory purchase order for the necessary land. There will be a 3m wide cycling and pedestrian route parallel to the widened road but segregated via a 0.5m verge. The scheme required clearing strips of conifer woodland that border the current road, to free up the space for construction of the widening and cycle + pedestrian route. Any habitat loss will be mitigated by habitat creation off-site.
The ongoing delivery timeframe is uncertain due to current restrictions relating to Covid-19. Phase 2 is anticipated as part of development allocation NA1 for which pre-application advice has been sought and an outline planning application is expected shortly (this will be submitted via Teignbridge District Council, so keep an eye out on the planning ‘map search’ function to see when this is submitted and active for public comments.
Further funding must be secured for delivery of Phase 3, which will link to various destinations.
For further information on the overall scheme plans and design see the DCC planning webpages and enter the planning reference DCC/3851/2016
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/
The webpage below on the DCC website also has useful scheme information that show mapping for three phases – Phase 1 as described above Whitehill Cross – Forches Cross, Phase 2 will form part of NA1 development allocation (see Teignbridge District Council Local Plan), and Phase 3 Forches Cross – Drumbridges dual-carriageway with parallel cycle + pedestrian route, & Jetty Marsh II:
https://www.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/traffic-information/transport-planning/a382-corridor/
The potential for a Park & Change near Forches Cross is also being reviewed as an option for further uplift for sustainable travel.
Jetty Marsh II: Whitehill Cross A382 – West Golds Way
This scheme also forms part of the Phase 3 of A382 Improvements project above but is described here separately for clarity. Jetty Marsh II is the proposal for a new link road and 3m wide cycle + pedestrian route between Whitehill Cross (A382) and West Golds Way (by the Community Hospital). The planning application was approved in September 2019 with required conditions, and can be viewed on the DCC website using the planning reference DCC/4131/2019
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/
Delivery is dependent on sufficient funding being secured.
Newcross – Stover Trail Link, Kingsteignton
There is a need for improved quality of access to the Stover Trail from Newcross and MT Tums (just west of Kingsteignton) for both cyclists and pedestrians. The current conditions on the Exeter Road are constrained in places and there is a lack of pavement or shared-use path from Broadway Road westwards.
As part of new housing development at Newcross a shared-use path parallel to the road was created from the Strap Lane/Exeter Road crossroad to Broadway Road. This stretch is being finalised so that surfacing dressing can be installed, but first the route is being extended to the west of Broadway Road (there will be an informal crossing to cross Broadway Road). This is due to be submitted as an amendment to Phase 1 of Newcross development, which is planning reference 14/02072/MAJ
There is a requirement for Phases 2 & 3 of Newcross development – planning references 15/00455/MAJ & 16/01981/MAJ – for provision of an important off-road cycle and pedestrian route to link the new Newcross stretch (above) to the Stover Trail. Sibelco has recently submitted the planning application for this off-road 3m cycle and pedestrian link, which includes a new bridge crossing of the Teign River, and these plans can be viewed and commented on via the Teignbridge District Council planning website, using planning reference 20/00441/FUL
There is a further s106 requirement for Phases 2 & 3 of Newcross development, for a financial contribution towards Devon County Council plans to implement safer cycling & pedestrian linkage to the Stover Trail from MT Tums. This is to address issues with crossing the Exeter Road and walking or cycling along it to access the Stover Trail, which currently not simple for pedestrians or cyclists due to limitations on visibility and constrained road width over the canal. DCC is working on setting in place land agreements with landowners, which include Network Rail. Once the agreements are secured there can be a more detailed design produced of the route for planning submission.
Newton Abbot Town Centre
Teignbridge District Council was successful in Round 1 of the Future High Streets Fund and was asked to develop proposals further for submission of a full business case at the end of June 2020. At present, this timeframe remains in place. The funding bid offers investment potential for uplift to the market area, cinema and for improved cycling and pedestrian connections to the town centre.
The cycling improvements proposed are based on feedback gathered over the past two years from Teignbridge Cycle Forum and the Teignbridge Cycle Group, and the focus is on improving quality (notably width and junction safety) and legibility (better markings and signage) of the National Cycle Network Route 2 between the rail station and ASDA. The aim is to broaden the appeal of the route, and its capacity, for greater use by less confident or experienced cyclists. The key points of proposed improvements are listed below:
- Information at station with onward links for pedestrians & cyclists to town centre, market hall, NCNR2 etc.
- Shared-use road crossing outside the rail station.
- Cut through via the corner of Courtney Park to link cyclists with Courtney Park Road, and onward via Queen Street (the shared crossing may also open greater potential for a quiet route to the town centre / NCNR2 via Courtney Park & Devon Square).
- Narrowing of the Courtney Park Road junction with Queen Street (this is currently 21m wide!), for greater ease of use by pedestrians.
- Speed humps and pedestrians in road signage along Marsh Road to support the shared space function that this road typically serves.
- Widening route through Cricketfield to facilitate bi-directional use. Surface markings for clarity.
- STOP sign at the Albany Street junction by the car park, and surface markings to show cycle route passing the junction.
- Improving the junction at Kingsteignton Road (by the ex-job centre building) to allow safer access onto this off-road stretch from the road. Increasing cycle parking at this location.
- Instating low speed signage at bus layover area on Sherborne Road, and changing ‘local buses only’ signage to ‘local buses and cyclists only’.
- Instating new NCNR2 signage between bus layover area and ASDA.
- Increasing cycle parking by Highweek Way and new cycle parking by ASDA.
There is still an issue with 1-way streets meaning that connectivity to Queen Street from the north is difficult. Albany Street is too narrow for a contraflow or off-road route and Lemon Road is also narrow and the access from Queen Street is blind.
There have been some calls for a contraflow cycle lane along Queen Street but, following review, there is not sufficient width on Queen Street to widen it sufficiently to support both improved pedestrian / shopper pavement width and to accommodate a contra-flow cycle lane.
See the Future High Streets Fund website for more information on the requirements for all bid proposals nationally, and the selection process: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-high-streets-fund
The above measures will be deliverable if TDC is successful in Round 2 of the bid, which will be based on the content of the full business case. Ensuring sufficient match funding is also essential.
A follow-on project to the above is to review opportunities for relocating the bus hub location from Sherborne Road to enable further uplift of the quality of this currently constrained environment and to provide improved bus facilities nearby if a suitable alternative can be identified (whilst retaining some bus drop-off/pick up capacity on Sherborne Road). This has been reviewed in the past with no final resolution and remains an issue, particularly for those on-foot utilising the narrow pavement areas alongside Sherborne Road and the sub-optimum space available for bus pull-in on each side of the road.
Newton Abbot Rail Station Bridge
A planning application was approved in August 2019, for proposals to extend the existing footbridge at the railway station, across the down relief line, to meet with the short stretch of roadway between Teignbridge Propellers and International Dance Studios that links into Forde Road and Forde Close. This would allow much improved access to the rail station for the residents in Buckland (over 1,400 homes) halving the average walking distance from 20 minutes to 10 minutes, and would also encourage greater sustainable transport use by the 3,000 plus workers located at Brunel Industrial Estate. There was a desire to design the bridge to enable non-rail users to utilise it, but this was not possible in practical terms. There is currently not funding identified for delivery of this scheme but this is being actively reviewed on a regular basis. Please see the Devon County Council planning webpages for further information and plans relating to the scheme, using planning reference DCC/4104/2018
Newton Abbot Cycle Hub
The British Cycling non-profit organisation is offering funding of up to £500,000 (but more typically in the region of £50,000-£100,000) for cycle hubs via a funding stream called Places to Ride. Teignbridge District Council has been looking into whether to make an application for this funding and is reviewing opportunities for Newton Abbot or wider area. There are also smaller grants available of £1,000-£50,000. The funding webpage is here for further information:
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/placestoride
We will be asking you for any suggestions or requests relating to the above as part of the Survey Monkey questionnaire that will be circulated later this month. Please note the funding is not for cycle route delivery but for hub facilities.
Baker’s Park / Ogwell Cycle Link
There is planning permission for an extension of the National Cycle Network Route 2 via Baker’s Park and Beverley Way towards Ogwell, which would offer a safer route for cyclists away from the busy and constrained Totnes Road. There is funding for delivery of the route via previous Ogwell development and there is permission to deliver the route from all but one landowner. We anticipate an outcome on this landowner permission during 2020, and if this is agreed then works could potentially begin fairly swiftly (subject to Covid-19 restrictions).
Please see Devon County Council planning webpages for planning application details for the route, using planning reference DCC/4093/2018
Onward NA3 Wolborough Links
As part of the NA3 development allocation a new link road with parallel cycling and pedestrian route is proposed between Totnes Road & Kingskerswell Road to facilitate movement. There are also recognised needs for onward links in to the cycling and walking network at Totnes Road (into the Ogwell – Baker’s Park – ASDA link) and Kingskerswell Road (to Decoy and the rail station), via new crossings and off-road links. The eastern section of this allocation area, by Langdon Bridge, has outline planning approval with full approval for the section of link road and junction access, see details under planning reference 19/00238/MAJ. Another larger planning application, directly to the west of this, has been the part of a planning appeal by the developer and the outcome of this is anticipated this summer. See planning reference 18/01276/MAJ for the application details and reference 18/00035/NONDET for details of the appeal.
South-west Exeter SWE1
The south-west Exeter SWE1 is a large development allocation in the Teignbridge Local Plan. See this webpage for the Development Framework Plan:
Most of the development land has been acquired by developers and have outline planning consents in. The plans can be viewed via the Teignbridge planning pages and you can locate and select applications on specific areas of land using the ‘map search’ function and scrolling and zooming to the desired location:
The south-west Exeter developments include a new cycle and pedestrian bridge over the A379 to safely link the southern and northern parts of the development area, with onward routes to Alphington. There will be a new cycling and pedestrian route parallel to the new development spine road, to the south of the A379 and this will link into the cycle and pedestrian bridge. The southern access to Chudleigh Road will be realigned to a new access slightly eastwards, making the existing southern stretch of Chudleigh Road a safe space for other users. There will be a new cycle and pedestrian crossing close to the Bridge Road – Sannerville Way roundabout to link residents into the existing network of the Exe Estuary Trail to access the Quay / town centre or Exminster and onward routes, via Bridge Road. Old Matford Road may become an access only road making it more amenable for cycling and walking.
Rural links
There are other desired cycle links that are more rural in nature than the above route schemes, but would offer valuable local connections.
- Newton Abbot to Littlehempston. This could offer more than just a desired local link, via connecting the National Cycle Network Route 2 from Newton Abbot. A preferred route has yet to be defined but possible options would probably be via signage on quiet lanes on the Newton Abbot to Littlehempston stretch. This would need to be looked at in more detail to define whether an option/s can be identified that offers suitable directness, gradient and of course safety, and that would encourage sufficient numbers of users. We will be asking for your input on this and other route possibilities in the upcoming Survey Money questionnaire that will be shared later this month.
There has been a long-standing discussion over the potential for delivery of a Totnes – Littlehempston link via Bulliver Bridge. This has not significantly moved forward. DCC Cabinet and Full Council have recently been discussing this. DCC are oversubscribed with requests for similar routes across Devon and have seen a significant reduction in dedicated funds for delivery. This link is not within the current DCC Walking & Cycling Strategy. The Cabinet resolution is not to pursue a multi-use trail between Totnes & Littlehempston via Bulliver Bridge or other alternative/s at this time.
The resolution and report can be viewed here:
https://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=21942
Discussion over the years has focused on one particular route option, via Bulliver Bridge, which is the preferred option for many, but there may be suitable alternative route alignment/s that should form part of a future viability review for unlocking the full route between Totnes – Newton Abbot. This could be done once a series of routes currently within the DCC Walking & Cycling Strategy have been delivered, freeing up capacity to move onto further route delivery.
There is an existing Totnes – Littlehempston route options feasibility report and document with route options comparison including maps, both accessible online, please see below:
- Newton Abbot to Ashburton via Denbury. We would like to review potential options for a signposting a quiet lane route and will ask for input on this via the following Survey Monkey questionnaire that will be circulated. As with any suitable route, this would need to provide appropriate levels of directness, gradient, safety and be likely to attract a sufficient quantity of different users.
Devon County Council approval would be needed for any route, and funding would need to be identified and secured for formal review of feasibility of a route option/s, detailing proposals, and for delivery.
- Chudleigh to Stover Trail via Chudleigh Knighton. There is a lack of appealing multi-user linkage from Chudleigh and Chudleigh Knighton to the Stover Trail and Wray Valley Trail. There are various options for uplift including on-road improvements and off-road paths. The Chudleigh Bridge and slip road junctions are obstacles that cause an obvious constraint and can be off-putting for road cycling. Teignbridge District Council will discuss potential options for Chudleigh improvements to understand in more detail the needs and limitations of any options, and wider sustainable travel needs, particularly in view of current planning development in the Chudleigh area and increasing demand for improved links.
- Clay Pits Way Links to Clay Lane and to Gappah Lane (for Chudleigh). There is currently a missing link between the northern extent of the Clay Pits Way off-road cycling and walking route and Clay Lane / Gappah Lane. The cycling and walking route runs parallel to the Clay Pits Way B3193 and currently terminates approximately 200m short of the Clay Lane and Gappah Lane, beside a minerals site gateway. This means that cyclists must join the busy B3193 for this short stretch. Teignbridge District Council will discuss and review with stakeholders what options may be possible to address this.
- Kenn & Kennford – Haldon Improvements. After crossing the bridge above the A38, this stretch takes users along narrow strip of path directly beside the A380 slip road and alongside the A380 western margin to reach the quiet roadway up to Haldon by Deerpark Business Park. This is clearly not currently of suitable standard in terms of width and buffer from the busy A-road. TDC will review options for uplift with stakeholders.
Please be aware that DCC approval will be needed for any proposed routes and that although these are all valid route needs, there is a limited budget and capacity, so this will be very much a staged approach to be delivered as and when funding is identified and when external funding can be successfully secured. We will share a survey with you soon for feedback on all of the above, but if you have any pressing queries or comments in the meantime then please contact via the email below:
Thank you for your continued interest and support via the Teignbridge Cycle Forum, and for your valued input, which really does help to shape the direction of travel with cycle route delivery. Take care everyone. All my best wishes,
Estelle (Estelle Skinner, Green Infrastructure Officer, Teignbridge District Council)