The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Junction improvements, reduced speed limits, traffic calming, ‘Park and Walk’ sites, a community cycle hub and more benches are among the ideas to alleviate traffic issues in Holbeach in the next 17 years.
The draft Holbeach Transport Strategy sets out how the town will deal with traffic, including that generated from an extra planned 2,000 homes and the Food Enterprise Zone, until 2036.
The ideas outlined in the Lincolnshire County Council produced draft strategy include 20mph speed limits and traffic calming measures on the B1168 (Station Road and Boston Road South) and B1515 (West End, High Street and Fleet Street).
Lowering the speed limit on the A17 between Peppermint Junction and Foxes Low Road is also proposed, as is 20mph limits in all new developments and speed reduction treatments on Hall Gate.
In Holbeach itself, modifications to Market Hill and A17 junctions are needed as might those at Fleet Street / Edinburgh Walk and Spalding Road / Wignal’s Gate, the strategy states.
‘Park and Walk’ sites, including possibly for schools, would aim to encourage to park ‘a little way out of the town centre and walk in to town’.
It’s hoped more benches “will enable people to take a break as they walk… especially to people who might otherwise drive or take a taxi”.
Another proposal is a community cycle hub which could be the base for a bike hire or share scheme alongside more secure cycle storage and parking throughout the town as well.
The strategy also highlight changes needed at the Market Hill junction as it “will have insufficient capacity to cope with more traffic from new residents, new jobs and economic growth.”
It continues: “There is an opportunity to make Market Hill a far more welcoming environment for people at the heart of a rejuvenated town.
“A number of options have been considered during the development of this strategy.
“These options now need to be assessed further for technical feasibility and development before any specific scheme is brought forward.”
The strategy says it would lead to other potential projects including more junctions with the A17 and a traffic management scheme in the town.”
The strategy highlights that only one bus service serves the town and has called for that to be rerouted to serve west Holbeach and the Food Enterprize Zone as well as increasing services on Sunday and evenings though it says “funding for council support for this service is limited”
Re-routing would raise the cost of the service and leave some with further to walk, the report acknowledges, but it states “high quality bus stops” would “encourage take up”.
The strategy says the possibility of a new bus service to Boston is also being looked at.
The strategy says of its priorities: “The measures included here are a balance of those which support active modes (cycling, walking) and public transport with measures intended to improve road traffic.
“The possible reconfiguration of Market Hill is a key priority, which is linked with and supports many other projects.
“Putting measures in place which will encourage more people to choose to walk or cycle shorter trips within Holbeach is another key priority, along with measures to improve public transport in the short term.”
The draft strategy is to be discussed by Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee next week.
County councillor, Nick Worth, said: “I’m very pleased to have got it this far and a great document for getting future funding for large highway schemes in the future.
“Initially the main focus will be on options for Market Hill, no detail yet as these are currently being worked up, but that should only be a few months away, but the aim will be to reduce congestion there and make it easier for pedestrians to cross as well as the opportunity to make the area more of a centre for the town.
“Popular suggestions about reducing the speed limits in the town are included which should go down well.
“Also, there’s exciting opportunities for increased cycling, potential for a cycle hub (maybe as a business opportunity) and to open discussions with bus company to see potential new route direct to Boston and look at increasing the current service.
“In the longer term alterations to various junctions along the A17 connecting to Holbeach would be very welcome.
“There’s lots to be done over next six months by which time we should have heard whether or not we have been successful or not with our application to the High Street Fund, which could help take some of these initiatives forward.”
You can read the full document here.
