Active Travel Woodbridge
The public consultation on the Woodbridge elements is due to take place in early 2024 (February has been mentioned) but no exact dates have been confirmed. The project team advised that we should list the areas in Melton that could be considered when they make future Active Travel funding bids or District CIL bids. The list below highlights known problem areas and has been compiled by the Clerk and Councillor Bann.
Throughout Melton
Bike boxes/Advanced Stop Lines at traffic lights
Better road and pavement surfaces, particularly on main walking and cycling routes
Woods Lane
Cycling and walking along this road is intimidating and scary. It is currently used by cyclists of all ages, especially school pupils going to Farlingaye. School children and parents/carers travel up and down at peak times to access the schools (Melton Primary School/Woodbridge Primary School/Farlingaye). Primary School parents/carers often have buggies and several children to look after. Barriers/some form of pedestrian protection, consider permitting cycling on Woods Lane footway and widen this footway wherever possible, especially from the Melton Crossroads to Hall Farm Rd estate main access.
Road Crossings – needs to be an additional crossing point to join up with the footpaths 19 and 20. Safer route through the Bury Hill estate.
Review drainage on Woods Lane as ponding forms of the northern footway side. Pedestrians can get drenched from spray, especially from larger vehicles.
Melton Crossroads
Major pinch point
Traffic held twice as long as you need to activate the pedestrian crossings twice to get across two sides (which many school attendees must do). There is quite a delay between the traffic lights going red and the pedestrian signs going green. The crossing time is really short and if you have a significant amount of people trying to cross it becomes very difficult.
Wilford Bridge Road
Cycling provision should be improved. Shared pedestrian/cycle path on both sides. Paths widened. Both laybys removed. Overhanging trees and bushes cut back.
Section outside station is now being used for car parking. This should be restricted and pavement increased to allow better pedestrian access. Currently pedestrians are forced into oncoming traffic. Whole area outside the station needs better regulation, especially for rail replacement buses.
Work with the National Trust to get an off road pedestrian/cycle route from Melton Station to Sutton Hoo – National Coast Path is proposed for some of this route.
Melton Primary School
Make it a school safety zone. Entry is on Dock Lane – restrictions should be introduced here to calm traffic/make it a safer area for pedestrians.
Pytches Road/Love Lane
Footpath surfacing should be increased to meet the entrance from Wilkinson Way. Consider improving the surface throughout – consider mobility scooters, cyclists and pedestrians. Potential to make Love Lane Right of Way a shared path with cyclists. Lighting would help all year use, but residents may not be keen on the light intrusion. Would be an alternative to using Melton Rd as it links to the St John’s area of Woodbridge and the town centre.
Cycle Route from Melton Road to Pytches
As identified in ESC Cycling and Walking Strategy – connected to Love Lane item above.
Melton Road/Hill
Improve the road surface. It is particularly bad by the garage and there were two incidents in December 2023 where pedestrians tripped over the ridges when crossing the road.
Install additional crossing point near the garage which would also help to slow traffic.
The Street
Very narrow pavements and traffic builds up at traffic lights. Footpath widening may not be feasible. Heavy vehicles (buses/ Thurlow Nunn vehicles) use this road.
Bredfield Road
Concerns regarding speeding, being used as a rat run, especially when there are issues with the A12, and poor pedestrian crossing points, particularly if coming from Woods Lane.
Yarmouth Road
Pavement is completely covered by vegetation as you walk up past Ufford Park making it very difficult to use with a pushchair/wheelchair etc.
Station Road
The pavements in Station Road are less than one-metre-wide in some places. At peak times, when the traffic is at its heaviest, children and young people are making their way to and from school. Other residents are accessing bus stops, Morrisons and village facilities etc on foot. There are concerns from residents that the narrowness of Station Road and the proximity of the buildings to the road leads to the canyoning of air pollution. The relationship between air pollution and health is well understood.
The flow of traffic along Station Road restricts access to residents. Grocery delivery drivers, delivery drivers and the NHS (community nurses and care assistants) regularly comment on the challenges of trying to stop to deliver services to residents in Station Road. Access to activities at the church can be problematic and the difficulties faced by pallbearers trying to carry coffins across Station Road is undignified.
The lack of safety in the village streets is well documented in the original Melton Village Plan and the Melton Neighbourhood Plan.
Concerns that it is a cut through but closing this off will make it worse on surrounding roads/crossroads. St Andrew’s Church has concerns re access for weddings and funerals and it is also a bus route. Traffic calming could be considered, including redesigning on street parking areas to allow larger vehicles such as buses and tractors through and resident only parking on certain key sections. There are also some concerns about people parking at the bottom of Station Road rather than pay for parking at the railway station.
Saddlemakers Lane/St Audry’s Lane/Lodge Farm Lane
Concerns about National speed limit on most of these roads, two of which are Quiet Lanes. Saddlemaker’s could be restricted to one way or a no through road?
Melton Grange Road
Road surface is damaged. Some residents experience problems with parking associated with Woodbridge Primary School. Used as a diversion route for buses when Pytches/Bredfield Road is closed.
River path
Not accessible – especially at Melton boatyard
Cycling not allowed but many do cycle along there and would be a safer/pleasanter route between Woodbridge and Melton
Recommendations
Councillors are asked to review the areas that have been identified and to agree the list to be presented to the Active Travel team for consideration.
Pip Alder
Clerk
January 2024
