County Council

In April 2015 Cumbria County Council invited the public to respond to outline designs developed for the Optimising Connectivity highway Optimising schemes. Community drop-in events were held at Connectivity Library, Brockhole Lake District Visitor Centre, Library and summary of feedback Bowness Bay. In addition to these events designs were available to view online and from the Outline Design at Windermere Library, Library, Lake Warden’s Office and LDNPA consultation period headquarters. The public were invited to provide their feedback to the proposals by email, phone or post.

The consultation period ran from 1 April 2015 to 21 April 2015. This leaflet gives a summary of the feedback that was received. For more detail on the feedback and responses, please go to our Optimising Connectivity webpage.

http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/optimisingconnectivity/

Optimising Connectivity A quick introduction Scheme objectives Optimising Connectivity is a project developed by Cumbria County Council working together with the Lake District Provide high quality transport National Park Authority. The project seeks to deliver infrastructure at key visitor arrival highway improvements linked to specific visitor points destinations: Improve links between arrival points and popular destinations Glebe Road, Bowness-on-WindermereBrockhole Dove Cottage at Town End, Grasmere Enhance connections for those travelling by local bus and boat Brockhole Lake District Visitor Centre services, walking and cycling

Low Wood Hotel and Resort Improve safety and visibility on the highway and reduce the perceived Cumbria Local Growth Fund has pledged up to £2 million 'barrier’ effect of the road in funding to deliver the highway improvements in 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Serving the people of Cumbria cumbria.gov.uk summary of feedback Public consultation Outline designs were developed for the four locations and the public were invited to view and comment on schemes.

The public consultation ran from 1 April to 21 April 2015 and included:

Online webpage with display materials and feedback form.

A display of the schemes and materials at Brockhole, Lake District Visitor Centre from 1 April to 21 April.

A3 versions of the display available to view at Windermere Library, Ambleside Library, Dove Cottage, Lake Wardens Office and LDNPA Headquarters.

A display of the schemes and materials at Windermere Annual Parish meeting.

Presentations to Lakes Parish Council, Windermere Town Council, Windermere & Bowness Chamber of Trade, and Windermere Lake User Forum.

Staffed community drop-in events at:

Grasmere Village Hall, 13 April 2015, 3pm to 6pm

Brockhole Visitor Centre, 16 April, 11am to 2pm

Windermere Library, 16 April 2015, 3pm to 5pm

Bowness Information Centre, 16 April, 10am to 2pm summary of feedback

Glebe Road, Bowness-on-Windermere

SUMMARY 17 2posi5tive 17 17 cpoomsmiteivnets ne2gat5ive 22 respondents comments comments suggestions

(The number given in brackets indicates the number of responses received for that issue) Positive comments Improvements welcomed (5) Change in surfacing of foreshore welcomed (4) Support for change to echelon parking bays (4) Wider footways and crossing points welcomed (3) Very positive as long as it gets done (2) Scheme good if pedestrian experience is enhanced (2) Good to see attempt to slow traffic and remove barrier of parked cars (2) Scheme practical, cost effective, and long lasting (1) Support for suggested palette of materials (1) Support for bus laybys (1)

Suggestions Public concerns Proposals for cyclists need to be well thought out Parking should not encroach onto The Glebe (2) (2) No changes needed, keep it as it is (2) Materials should reflect local geology (2) Keep existing parallel parking (2) Road train needs dedicated pull-in separate to Concept of raised tables on carriageway is flawed footway (1) (2) Better to have no kerb (level shared space) (1) Opposes path to top of rocky outcrop (2) Signage of 1-way section needs to be improved (1) Design is over-fussy, needs simplifying (1) Improved signage needed if scheme is to work (1) Parking is being moved away from where people Echelon parking should be reverse-in, forward-out want (1) (1) Shared use in northern section is undesirable (1) Formalise motorcycle parking at Old Pump House Cyclists should not share footway on Glebe Road (1) (1) Make 2-way from A592 south to Rectory Road (1) Opposes any change from 1 to 2-way traffic in future Maintenance needs to be core part of scheme (1) (1) Demolish old toilets or turn into café (1) Stone blocks (artists impression) will cause damage Provide bus shelters at stops (1) (1) Consider speed bumps if traffic still too fast (1) Concern about unlawful parking in loading bays (1) Narrow cinder track suitable for path to rocky outcrop (1) Parking bays need to be able to take large cars (1) Foreshore ruined by geese, needs to be addressed (1) Locate bus stop at one of existing shelters (1) Make whole of Glebe Road traffic free (1) Prune/manage trees to restore views (1) Put motorcycle parking next to helmet lockers at TIC (1)

View looking south west along Glebe Road summary of feedback

A591 Brockhole Lake District Visitor Centre

SUMMARY 9 10 12 positive ne2gat5ive 10 respondents comments comments suggestions

(The number given in brackets indicates the number of responses received for that issue) Positive comments Support for improving southbound bus shelter (3) Support for improving northbound bus shelter (2) Proposals are encouraging/positive (2) Support for narrowing of carriageway and turning lanes (1) Support for enhanced pedestrian crossings (1)

Suggestions Public concerns Lower speed limit needed at Brockhole (4) Concern about new entry/exit at Brockhole (3) Pedestrian crossing needed to north (2) Parking failing at Brockhole, inappropriate parking Location of southbound bus shelter needs (3) reviewing (1) Not good location for bus stop (1) Part-time traffic signals needed (1) Turning traffic from north, hazard on bend (1) Materials should reflect local geology (1) Threat of creeping urbanisation (1) Bus layby needed for northbound buses (1) Potential for overuse of signs and hatching (1)

View looking north along the A591 from the shared use footway opposite entrance to Merewood Hotel. summary of feedback

A591 Town End, Grasmere

SUMMARY 7 23 23 positive ne2gat5ive 18 respondents comments comments suggestions

(The number given in brackets indicates the number of responses received for that issue) Positive comments Support for bus pull-in northbound (2) Support for narrowing of carriageway (1) Wider footways and crossing points welcomed (1) Good so long as not too urban (1) Supports replacing grass verge with hardstanding (1) Generally supportive of all aspects (1)

Suggestions Public concerns Money needs to be spent on speed cameras (4) Funding being spent in wrong place, needs to be Ensure that changes to surfacing do not urbanise Swan Lane junction, crossing at Benfield, or path (3) A591 east (17) Northbound traffic does not observe speed limit (2) Do not support loss of grass verge (2) Bus shelters needed at both stops (1) Has no effect on cycling (1) Materials should reflect local geology (1) Pedestrians may wrongly assume priority at Windermere junction needs improving (1) crossings (1) Keep 30mph signs clean and clear of trees (1) Crossing not needed at Daffodil Hotel (1) 20mph limit needed at Town End(1) No improvement of Stock Lane crossing (1) Totally opposed to any suggestion of speed cameras (1) Reduce speed southbound by use of rumble strips (1) Avoid any light controlled crossings (1) Reduce sign clutter where possible (1)

View looking south along the A591 from the northbound bus stop location. summary of feedback

A591 Low Wood Bay

SUMMARY 3 5 4 positive ne2gat5ive 5 respondents comments comments suggestions

Positive comments Support for narrowing of carriageway (1) Support for improved crossing points (1) Generally supportive of changes (1)

Suggestions Public concerns Address unsafe vehicular access to Hotel (1) Improvements should be paid for by Low Wood Bus shelters at both bus stops (1) Hotel (2) Materials should reflect local geology (1) Cycle track not feasible/useless (1) Existing 30mph limit makes cycling safer anyway Crossing points are unsafe (1) (1) Bus stops are unsafe (1) Avoid use of light controlled crossings (1)

Please note The Low Wood scheme was included in the consultation with an explanation that it would not be progressing to implementation but we would still collect comments on the outline design.

View looking north along the A591 from the footway in front of Low Wood Hotel. summary of feedback

Outcomes

The feedback from the public consultation was considered by the Technical Project Board at their meeting on 28 April 2015.

The Board noted the number of responses to the Grasmere scheme which pressed for funding to be spent on improving safety at the A591 Swan Hotel junction and/or Benfield.

Funding from Cumbria Local Growth Fund has been specifically awarded for improving connectivity to selected key visitor destinations, including Dove Cottage at Town End, Grasmere. Highway improvements not directly linked to the visitor destination and general highway maintenance are outside the remit of the Growth Deal funding. The Board recognised the frustration this can cause within the local community but concluded that the schemes for Glebe Road, A591 Brockhole, and A591 Grasmere should progress to detail design and delivery.

Feedback from the public consultation has been passed to the scheme designers to help inform the detail design of the schemes.

Planning approval will be required for non-highway elements of the Glebe Road scheme and the planning application will be submitted in late May / early June 2015.

The Local Growth Deal funding is anticipated to be £1m in 2015-16 and £1m in 2016-17 and implementation of the schemes will be carried out in two phases: autumn 2015 to mid-March 2016 and autumn 2016 to mid-March 2017. This will avoid physical works taking place during the main visitor season.

To view background information for this project please visit this webpage:

http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/optimisingconnectivity/

Serving the people of Cumbria cumbria.gov.uk