Cycling and walking improvements are set to make journeys easier and safer on Eastney Road in Milton.
Portsmouth City Council has added a pre-start signal for cyclists at the junction of Bransbury Road and Eastney Road and work is due to start in improving the walking route across the junctions in the Milton market area.
Cyclists will now see a smaller version of the main traffic signals – but positioned at a lower level making it easier for them to be seen. Cyclists will also be given a 4 second head start over the rest of the traffic, to enable them to move into the junction first and therefore become more visible to motorists. Over the coming weeks, the use of the cycle signals and head start function will be monitored so changes to the timings of the traffic signals can be made if needed.
Later this month, road works will start in the Milton shops area to create a safer walking route. This will help make the busy main roads safer to cross for parents taking their children to and from school. Colas will be carrying out the work for the council and the work is being discussed with the surrounding businesses to minimise the disruption. By putting your journey at the heart of everything we do, we’re making travel safer, more affordable, greener, and easier for Portsmouth.
The Council is committed to improving cycling and walking in the city to encourage more people to choose this as their way of getting around as demonstrated in the Transport Strategy. Walking and cycling are the cheapest options for shorter journeys, and we are continuing to build the safer and better-connected routes that are needed to make this the go-to option for a healthier and cleaner city.
Like many cities across the country, Portsmouth is facing a problem with air quality. Vehicle travel accounts for 35% of air pollution in the UK and research has shown that any pollution is too much for our health and wellbeing. When more people chose to cycle instead of using their cars, this helps to reduce harmful air pollution and supports us in improving air quality for everyone.
Cllr Lynne Stagg, Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation said: “I am pleased to see another set of traffic signals for cyclists in the city. Not every junction is suitable for this type of improvement as it needs the area for cyclists to wait at traffic lights ahead of traffic for it to provide the most benefit. However, where this is possible, we will continue to consider making improvements to create better connected and safer journeys.
“We want residents to feel empowered to make healthier travel choices, and it’s our job to support those choices with the safest walking and cycling routes that we can – safer junctions for cyclists are just one of the many ways we are doing this.”
To find out more about our commitment to cleaner air and better cycling and walking visit https://travel.portsmouth.gov.uk