The
financial & environmental costs alone warrant an alternative &
fresh solution being proposed to what will become a time consuming &
costly by pass scenario & project regardless of the decision. It
is a very important problem that requires immediate attention for the
sake of safety.
A
By pass will obviously eliminate much of the current through traffic,
mainly being the larger goods vehicles, but typical car & Caravan
motorists will continue to drive dangerously through the town in quite
large to moderate numbers, & ultimately this will not prove to be
the long term solution as the by pass will cater for the bulk of motorists
but the town will still suffer from an annual increase in motorists
in general & it will be business as usual for residents & visitors
alike. The by pass will have limited effect, as the main road through
the town will still be heavily used. (FACT)
The
key to the solution is to modify existing roads rather than build new
ones, which reduces costs & helps the environment.
Quite
simply the sheer continuing bulk of general traffic will never be diverted
effectively, as the town is too close to numerous tourist attractions.
This leaves only one correct approach…
Traffic
needs to be calmed & managed.
Safety:
Traffic Calming & management addresses
all the core issues, Safety first “as always” is addressed primarily
by reducing the speed of flowing traffic, making the town instantly
safer for residents, tourists & motorists alike.
Noise:
The slower moving traffic has a greatly
reduced noise pollution effect than speeding traffic, as a slow moving
stream of traffic is relatively quiet, compared to a race track of open
throttles through the town.
Pollution
: The pollution that a by pass will create
& expel into the local atmosphere will be carried & noticed
for miles, the pollution that will be produced from the stream of local
traffic through the town will also be high, but it will be localised
in its majority, & it will be less than is currently being experienced.
Nearly everyone owns or has access to a motor vehicle, & public
transport & the pollution created is now being reduced thanks to
more environmentally friendly engines & fuels, pollution cannot
be pinned solely on vehicles as domestic homes & commercial properties
all produce their own contributions to the mix as well.
Costs:
The Planning, consultations, Contractors
Fees & overall project costs of a by pass are astronomical compared
to a dedicated traffic calming & management project, & this
will benefit the local residents & tourists immediately, a by pass
will have no immediate effect & limited long term effect where general
traffic is concerned.
Businesses
: Local businesses are obviously worried
that a by pass will do exactly what it says on the proverbial tin, &
by pass them but financially, its hard for many campaigners to try &
balance money matters over safety views, & off course safety is
a priority but the issue doesn't need to be a problem or issue at all,
as at the moment the fast flowing traffic doesn't allow for tourists
to safely pull over & stop & shop, & a by pass will not
attract the tourists as they will still travel through the town because
of the close attractions of Skegness etc., but businesses will have
an increased trade thanks to a traffic calming & management project,
because the flow of traffic will be reduced in speed & controlled
allowing for tourists to notice businesses more & allow for them
to safely pull over & explore the town in a safe manner.
Financial
Security : This comes in many forms,
but for everyday people their main assets are their homes, The overall
value of properties in the town could be reduced by the building of
a by pass in the local area, spoiling numerous views & properties
values, as what was once a quiet area with a traffic issue of safety,
would become a larger scale issue with further reaching implications,
as a by pass or any other stretch of motorway will always produce increased
noise pollution for miles around putting off any potential buyers in
the area, after all who would want to live near a motorway or bypass
if given the choice, A by pass may be out of sight for many but the
noise will travel for miles, buy improving the towns roads with a traffic
management project will not effect the area financially, campaigners
have to look at their own personal implications first as well as a broader
picture as a community.
Environmental
issues : Natural wildlife, from plants,
to animals & land features could & will be lost under the development
from any new road system, the environment will suffer with long reaching
implications for future residents, this could affect tourism in the
area without a doubt.
Tourism:
Tourism should increase almost immediately
after a traffic calming & management system has being introduced,
tourists will feel safer about stopping & exploring the town, with
adequate parking & pedestrian crossings being available, At the
moment the high levels of tourists drive through the town at speed to
reach their destinations, but ignore the town, this could change overnight.
Proposals:
1.
30
MPH Max Speed Limit Signs to be installed through the town & on
the approach to the town from & towards Skegness, along the entire
section of the A168 that passes through the town itself.
2.
Radar
Activated “Slow Down”/“30 MPH” signs alerting motorists to slow down
before they enter the town, one to be placed at each end of the town,
these will be jointly solar & wind powered to reduce continued running
costs, making them self sufficient.
3.
“Please
Drive Carefully” “Protect our Children” signs to be located at each
end of the town
4.
“SLOW
DOWN” road surface warnings to be marked on both approaches to the town
5.
Small
“30 MPH” signs to be attached to lamp posts throughout the town
6.
Road
side parking areas to be marked out at various points on the road through
the town
7.
Two
pedestrian crossings to be erected for the safety of residents &
tourists alike, one close to the church & another close to the market
place on the main road, these also will be solar & wind powered
to eliminate running costs.
8.
Speed
calming humps to be installed at various intervals through the town
on the main road, along with adequate road surface signs & traditional
vertical signs
9.
Small
piece of land close to the town to be converted into a pay & display
car park, with revenue being collected by the local council to aid future
projects & to pay for maintenance costs. The car park could be located
on either side of the town, as I'm sure the council have access to a
piece of land that could be used for this purpose in the interests of
tourism, the pay & display meter will be solar powered with mains
back up facilities.
10.
The
centre of the town close to the market place could have a handful of
parking spaces created to be used in conjunction with a pay & display
machine, which will be solar powered & also feature a mains back
up supply feature.
These
proposals will combine to create:
The
Burgh Le Marsh Traffic Calming & Safety Initiative
“An
alternative to the By Pass” Thank you. Mr. C.
Coombs GBII
