Cycle lane in 'dangerous' Portsmouth road set for safety improvements

A CYCLE lane along a 'dangerous' city road could be adapted to make it safer.
Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea - the westbound cycle lane will be improved under city council plans
Picture: Malcolm Wells  (191014-8334)Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea - the westbound cycle lane will be improved under city council plans
Picture: Malcolm Wells  (191014-8334)
Goldsmith Avenue, Southsea - the westbound cycle lane will be improved under city council plans Picture: Malcolm Wells (191014-8334)

Portsmouth City Council will consider installing a physical 'barrier' along a section of Goldsmith Avenue, in Southsea, to separate the cycle path from the road.

If approved at a traffic and transportation meeting this week, raised sections will be implemented at intervals along the 900 metre stretch of road, from the junction at Haslemere Road to the Fratton roundabout.  

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The council's transport boss, Councillor Lynne Stagg, said: 'It's so the cyclists are secure. Lots of cars try to get in there, it's bad. People don't actually observe what's going on around them.

Goldsmith Avenue
Picture: Malcolm Wells  (191014-8337)Goldsmith Avenue
Picture: Malcolm Wells  (191014-8337)
Goldsmith Avenue Picture: Malcolm Wells (191014-8337)

'We need to improve the cycling infrastructure in the whole city - that's in our five year integrated transport strategy. We want to have cycle lanes in a lot of roads.'

Between 2013 and 2018 a total of 24 collisions involving cyclists were recorded along that section of the road, and four involving pedestrians.

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Keen cyclist Ryan King, 28, from North End, believed it would make a difference. He said: 'I cycle there two or three times a week. It's quite bad around there.

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'Cars just don't seem to pay attention to the cycle path and end up straying over. It's pretty dangerous. But then Portsmouth as a whole isn't the best for cyclists.

'I think if the lanes are segregated that will make it better, this should be done for cycle lanes on all major roads in the city.

'A big problem around the Fratton roundabout is also where the cycle lane goes on to the pavement because you're never able to cycle there.'

Other changes to Goldsmith Avenue will also be considered including junction improvements at Haslemere Road, Talbot Road and Fernhurst Road, and a new pedestrian crossing point at Lidl.

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And the junction at Francis Avenue and Goldsmith Avenue would be redesigned to make it a single access T-junction.

It is planned the work will be covered by £188,000 from the council's central corridor capital scheme.

Funds need to be approved at a traffic and transportation meeting on Thursday, October 17 before final designs are created.