Bury St Edmunds cycle and walking route plan through town, including Barton Road, Risbygate Street, Angel Hill and Eastgate Street, causes concern
Worried residents are up in arms over plans for new cycling and walking routes in Bury St Edmunds.
Suffolk County Council wants to make it ‘safer and easier’ for residents to walk and cycle to town by introducing measures to make the roads ‘less busy’.
These include shared cycle lanes, zebra crossings, pedestrian and cyclist priority areas, stretching from Barton Road in the east, to Newmarket Road in the west.
But some parts of the proposal, including making a section of Barton Road one-way, to make room for a cycle path, have been slammed.
Andy McGowan, of the Moreton Hall Residents’ Association said: “The principle of trying to make things safer and easier for people to cycle and walk is absolutely welcomed.
“But the impact of making Barton Road one-way, going east, will be huge. This would affect not just for those who live in the Barton Road area - but for hundreds of others, particularly on the Moreton Hall estate.
“It will just be forcing more traffic onto Mount Road, which already can become gridlocked, is riddled with potholes, and where there is a school.
“Otherwise they will have to go all the way round, via Hollow Road and Compiegne Way, where there has already been major problems with flooding.
“I am not clear how they have come to the conclusion that this is a good idea.”
“Many people are worried including businesses in the Barton Road area, to those also concerned about bus routes.”
The council has proposed schemes at five towns and villages throughout the county, using funding awarded through the Government’s Active Travel England.
The Bury plan stretches 2.7 miles across the town.
It passes along Eastgate Street, Mustow Street, Northgate Street, Looms Lane, Brentgovel Street and Risbygate Street.
The scheme has been put to online consultation until December 20.
There are also two events to discuss the plans at Bury market on November 23 and Bury library on November 25.
Joseph Boyle, who lives in Leabrook Close, Moreton Hall, said the Barton Road plan would cause problems for both cyclists and motorists.
He said: “There are already three safe cycle routes from central Bury to Moreton Hall: Eastgate Street and Mount Road, Shakers Lane towards Symonds Road, and from St Mary’s Church over Kevelaer Way to Shakers Lane, onwards to Symonds Road.
“The junction at the Orttewell Road end of Barton Road is already frequently congested due to traffic lights. If there are unusual situations such as flooding at Compiegne Way or road closures, the entire area quickly comes to a standstill.”
The county council says its vision is to create a route that enables people to cycle all the way through town whilst making sure there is provision for walking in all sections too.
It hopes the scheme will improve air quality by reducing road congestion in the town centre.
Other plans include:
• Widening the pavement on Eastgate and Mustow Street to create a shared path that both cyclists and pedestrians can use.
• A shuttle, or ‘give and take’ system, for vehicles at Abbots Bridge to make room for cyclists to use the shared path.
• The junction at Risbygate Street and St Andrew’s Street North would see a new signalised crossing that gives pedestrians and cyclists priority.
• A kerbed, or ‘segregated’ cycle path would be created along Risbygate Street for cyclists travelling in both directions, to the Parkway roundabout.
The council says the plan is in response to a survey in 2023, in which 81 per cent of residents, businesses and groups said they would support improvements.
It concluded that residents felt there was a lack of provision for cycling and footpaths were too narrow.
Feedback from the latest consultation will go towards drawing up final plans and budgeting.
Colin Payne, of the Eastgate Ward Community Association, welcomed improvements to cycle lanes along Eastgate Street, which he described as intermittent, and often ignored by cyclists, in favour of the pavements.
But he described the idea for a shuttle, ‘give and take’ motorist system over Abbott’s Bridge as a ‘non-starter’, which could lead to further traffic build ups on busy days.
Jonathan Howe, who runs Risbygate Solicitors, in Risbygate Street, where a kerbed cycle lane is planned, said: “I am a keen cyclist and cycle everywhere.
“This route is just poorly thought out, some parts makes no cycling sense and are just nonsense.
“I am all for improving cycling routes and the environmental reasons behind it. But I challenge Suffolk County Council planners to get on their bikes and come and ride through town to see which areas could really be improved.”
John Balaam, who runs Balaams Music, also in Risbygate Street, said: “If they want to spend some money, they should concentrate on fixing the broken pavements to start, which are dangerous,” he said.
“We battled plans for a similar cycle lane along Risbygate Street shortly after Covid, which was later scrapped after concerns.
“When I heard about this latest scheme, I just thought: Oh no, not again.”
To view the proposal and take part in the consultation, click here.
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