Swanage Town Council and Dorset Council have been working together to develop a scheme aimed at improving pedestrian safety at Station Approach and are now pleased to share details about these upcoming works. These changes will enhance accessibility and safety for everyone using this area.
Key Improvements Include:
• Narrowing the exit from Station Approach to slow traffic and discourage vehicles from entering via the roundabout.
• Upgrading the pedestrian crossing with coloured surfacing and tactile paving to increase driver awareness.
• Creating a coloured, continuous footway across the Co-op entrance/exit, giving pedestrians priority.
• Widening the pavement in front of the Station loading bay to keep pedestrians out of the road.
• Raising the disabled bays to footway level for better access to the Health Centre.
• Resurfacing the area and refreshing/installing road markings.
Councillor Mike Bonfield, Chairman of the Town Council’s Community Services Committee commented: “I’m delighted that we’re moving forward with these long-awaited improvements to pedestrian safety in Station Approach. As a busy and well-used transport hub, this area will greatly benefit from improved accessibility and enhanced pedestrian and road safety measures. I’d like to extend my gratitude to Dorset Council, and also to Accessible Swanage for their valuable input and the time they’ve dedicated to collaborating with us, which has been instrumental in shaping the final design of the scheme.”
Councillor Cliff Sutton, Chairman of the Town Council’s Traffic Management Advisory Committee added:
“We acknowledge that there will be some disruption during the works, but we have taken steps to minimise the impact by scheduling the work at night. This ensures that shoppers, transport hub users, and visitors to the Medical Centre can continue to use the area during the day. I would like to thank the businesses and organisations operating in Station Approach for their understanding and support, which has been invaluable in helping us deliver these improvements.”
CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE:
• Start Date: Monday 13th January 2025
• End Date: Friday 7th February 2025
• Working Hours: Nightly from 10PM to 6AM, Mon to Fri.
Access to the taxi rank should remain largely unaffected outside of these times.
PLEASE NOTE: Unexpected site conditions or severe weather may extend the duration of works, but we’ll do our best to stay on schedule.
If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to contact us at 01929 766034 or via email to: admin@swanage.gov.uk
Thank you for your understanding as we work to make Swanage safer and more accessible for all!