Barwell SUE update

The Barwell SUE has been granted outline planning permission which included access and highway arrangements. Part of the submission was a late analysis by Highways which predicted data flows through the village using their LLITM model.

Unfortunately their report did not contain readable traffic flow volumes so I subsequently asked for this information which they supplied in tabular form. I superimposed this data onto a local map (see below) together with the actual flows (in green) that we recorded when we audited traffic in the village in February 2013. There are two sets of predicted data flows from the LLITM model
"with mitigation" this means the (yet unspecified) changes to the main road network. i.e. the Rouges Lane, A47 and A5 junctions
"unmitigated" this means without changes to the main highway network

Highways conclusion is that there will be very little additional traffic along the rural network, hence they see no need to consider local rural mitigation. We have to first convince them that the model is wrong and / or convince them that there are not viable solutions to the Rogues Lane and A47 junctions.

There has subsequently been a meeting of the joint parish councils to discuss the issue of Barwell SUE traffic. At this meeting Ivan Ould (County Councillor) was tasked to talk to Highways. Ivan is currently trying to set up this meeting.

Update from Parish Council Meeting

Barwell SUE

We presented the results of the traffic survey (see previous post) to the Parish Council at the January meeting and we discussed how we could move forward towards implementing a 20 mph limit. 

The Parish Council’s view was that the best route forward was to combine the 20 mph "requirement" with a consideration of the impacts of the Barwell SustainableUrban Extension (SUE) development. The Barwell SUE proposals will see 2,500 homes built on the south western edge of Barwell - a huge development. Because employment opportunities will not be developed until the final phase, there will be 2,500 households needing to go "somewhere" to work. The concern is that many of them will be heading our way using Stoke Golding as a "rat run". The Parish Council is planning to partner with the neighbouring parishes of Higham, Peckleton and Sutton Cheney to address this issue. The parish councils are now looking at the possibility of engaging a traffic consultant to help better understand the impacts and to propose how these impacts can be mitigated and managed. The Streets4All group will contribute to the terms of reference for this study and will be involved in the study and follow on work.

The Streets4All group agreed this is a sensible way forward based on the following considerations:
a) it is difficult to treat 20 mph limits in isolation of the Barwell SUE because of its major potential impact;
b) this is probably the best opportunity to find a source of funding for implementing change.

So this is not going to be quick (but it never was). But rest assured that we have heard loud and clear what the village has said and we will continue to work to make the streets of Stoke Golding safer and more liveable.