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Published:
August 18, 2008
Dismay as County Council rejects seafront traffic calming plans
Burnham-On-Sea
councillors reacted with dismay on Monday evening (August 18th)
to the news that Somerset County Council has rejected calls for
a traffic calming scheme on the town's Esplanade.
 Burnham-On-Sea.com
recently reported how police and town councillors were pushing
for road safety improvements along the South Esplanade (pictured)
in order to halt the long-running problem of speeding motorists.
But
Somerset County Council's Head of Highways, Ioan Rees, has written
to the council, stating: "The traffic calming of the South
Esplanade would have a very low priority for funding from Highways
and Local Transport Plan budgets."
"The
proposal is very costly and would contribute very little to the
County Highways and Transport priority objectives."
He
went on to state that the low number of accidents along the seafront
means there is no strong argument for changes, although he added
that the county council would "have no objection to others
funding a scheme, provided it met all highway regulations."
 The
cost of the proposed traffic calming scheme would cost "at
least £70,000 and possibly more up to £100,000"
estimates the county council.
The
council's Highways Department also has poured cold water on proposals
to turn the southern Esplanade near Quantock Court (pictured right)
into a private road, thereby blocking it to public vehicles.
Mr
Rees stated in his letter to the council: "It may prove very
challenging to demonstrate why the road should no longer be a
public highway. The process would have legal costs of about £3,000
plus significant staff costs." A traffic calming scheme could
still cost at least £40,000, he added.
Town
and district councillor Neville Jones, who has long campaigned
for safety improvements along the Esplanade, told Monday evening's
council meeting: "There appears to be a 'can't do' attitude
here."
"Changes
could easily be made by the county council if there was the will
- but it sadly seems to be lacking."
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