Changes will make Elizabeth Avenue better for cyclists, pedestrians – and HGV drivers
CHANGES could soon be taking place on the Admiral Park access roads, which will reduce the need for vehicles to drive on the pavement, after planning permission was granted.
Elizabeth Avenue runs from the seafront to the Bouet and gives access to several office complexes, as well as shops. It is privately owned.
Work is under way to build a new residential, office, retail, hotel and leisure facilities complex on the northern side of the site, to include a Premier Inn.
This will increase traffic in the area, which was the reason for the planning application from Comprop (CI) Ltd for the changes.
Traffic & Highway Services said that a raised footpath/cycle path will offer cyclists – via a Toucan crossing – a safe method of cycling into Elizabeth Avenue from the coastal cycle path.
‘It is felt that the shared footpath/cycle path within Elizabeth Avenue should be appropriately line painted with suitable markings/signage to indicate to all users the shared nature of use,’ a THS spokesman noted in the planning report.
It was suggested also that dropped kerbs be installed to help the cyclists access and leave the footpath, as well as tactile paving for more vulnerable pedestrians.
THS welcomed the proposed changes to the traffic light junction.
‘The repositioning of the traffic island and traffic signal posts on Les Banques on the northbound lane is accepted by THS as a sensible redesign of the existing situation, which is particularly difficult for the drivers of HGVs and articulated vehicles to manoeuvre past when turning from Elizabeth Avenue southbound onto Les Banques,’ the spokesman said.
‘In turn, the extra manoeuvring space, will greatly reduce the incidence of articulated vehicles mounting the footpath / cycle path adjacent to the seawall.’
The planning report said that the roads in the area were likely to be operating close to their maximum capacity as a result of the new development.
There were three letters of objection, raising worries about the impact the development would have on traffic.
But the planners said that overall the proposed development was considered to represent a good standard of design and planning permission was granted.
