Burton Town Deal – Active Travel Improvement Scheme
Following on from the successful delivery of Phase 1 of the Burton Town Deal Active Travel Improvement Scheme, which provided walking and wheeled improvements along Station Street from the junction of Guild Street to Burton railway station, we are now in a position to progress with Phase 2.
Phase 2 looks to continue the route from Burton railway station along Borough Road to the Town Hall, before using the residential streets which run parallel with the A5121 to reach the A511 Horninglow Road.
The package of improvements for walking and wheeled users will include, pedestrian crossing upgrades, footway improvements, additional dropped crossings where necessary and segregated cycle facilities.
The cycle infrastructure projects are being promoted by Staffordshire County Council and East Staffordshire Borough Council and as the local highway authority, Staffordshire County Council through the established Infrastructure+ partnership will be responsible for delivery of the projects.
Below you can find a drawing illustrating the preliminary layouts for the section of the route connecting the railway station to the Town Hall. These are subject to ongoing change through the current detailed design process and all affected stakeholders will receive notification of the proposals at the appropriate time:
Please use this contact form to register your feedback on our proposals.
When are the works taking place?
The project is currently in its detailed design stage, which is due to complete at the end of March 2024. It is anticipated that physical construction works will commence in Summer 2024. However, expect to see officers wearing PPE and undertaking surveys of the road network from time to time. This may also involve short-term Traffic Management on Borough Road as part of surveying or site investigation works.
What is the duration of the works?
All survey works will be short duration and generally undertaken during off-peak times. Further updates will be provided on when the full construction programme will commence.
Will I be able to access my home/business?
Yes, access will always be maintained for homes and businesses.
What effect could the works have on me?
We take care to make sure that work is completed with the minimum of disturbance to the local community, during this stage it is unlikely that works will cause any disruption to residents or businesses.
How you can help us
For the effective and expedited delivery of the scheme your assistance in the following would be greatly appreciated:
- Please keep children away from the works to ensure their safety.
- Always adhere to traffic management extents.
- Please do not move or alter any signing or barriers which make up part of the traffic management.
FAQs
However, if you do not see an answer to your query, please use the email address below and we will endeavour to respond to your question.
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- The scheme will provide a safe route through the current motorised vehicle dominated gyratory system, which is seen as a barrier to less confident cyclists and link the town centre (via the recently constructed Station Street Cycle track) to the residential areas in the west. It is also proposed to extend the route through these residential areas to the north and link with the A511 Horninglow Road.
The proposals include:
- Provision of a 2.5 metre-wide dedicated two-way cycle facility connecting King Edwards Place to Derby Street, allowing eastbound (towards town centre) cyclists to proceed against the current one-way traffic restriction.
- Reducing the existing vehicle lanes to nominal 3.25 metre width [a width that maintains access for buses and HGV’s]
- The existing traffic signal-controlled junctions will be upgraded with new equipment and wider pedestrian crossings.
- Provision of a dedicated signalised cycle crossing and carriageway access point at the junction of Derby Street and Borough Road.
- Provision of a short length of Contraflow cycle track allowing access to Curzon Street for southbound cyclists [currently prohibited under existing traffic regulations].
- Resurfacing of the existing footway adjacent to the proposed cycle track.
- Provide other improvements for walking and wheeling, such as dropped crossings, tactile paving, additional road markings, etc, where appropriate.
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- A 60mm high kerb will separate the footway and cycle track. This low-level kerb is in accordance with national guidance and will provide a tactile demarcation between pedestrians and cyclists whilst not being at risk of catching a bicycle pedal.
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- A 60mm high kerb will separate the footway and cycle track. This low-level kerb is in accordance with national guidance and will provide a tactile demarcation between pedestrians and cyclists whilst not being at risk of catching a bicycle pedal.
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Cycle parking racks are proposed at the junction of Curzon Street and within St Edward Place.
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The proposed footway and cycle way improvements form part of Staffordshire County Council’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) for the Burton Area.
The objectives of the Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) are:
- Better Safety - A safe and reliable way to travel for short journeys.
- Better Mobility - More people cycling and walking, easy normal and enjoyable.
- Better Streets - Places that have cycling and walking at their heart.
The Borough Road cycle track will be the second section of various planned phases to improve connectivity between the town centre and the residential areas to the north and west, while also linking the Railway Station with Sustrans National Cycle Network routes (NCN 63 and 54). These measures also supported as part of the Burton Town Investment Plan.
The links will reconnect Burton Town Centre with housing growth areas, residential areas, the canal, town centre developments and the River Trent.
It will improve journeys into and through Burton Town Centre for work, leisure, educational, retail journeys as well as access to railway station to provide sustainable transport links with the wide region.
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Sustrans are a national charity organisation who work for and with communities, helping them come to life by walking, wheeling and cycling to create healthier places and happier lives for everyone. Details of the national Cycle network are available on their website
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Funding is to be provided by grants from Central Government to East Staffordshire Borough Council as part of Town Centre Funds.
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The scheme is currently at detailed design stage and the costs will be updated in future communications.
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No all costs for this project will be met by funding secured from Central Government through the Town Centre Funds.
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- Encourages greener travel.
- Improvements in health, both physical and mental.
- Reduced absenteeism due to sickness.
- Reduced vehicle omissions.
- Reduced infrastructure maintenance costs.
- Reduces the strain on NHS.
- Increased retail opportunities.
- Answer:
The proposals will improve the connectivity east to west across the town centre joining the existing national cycle networks routes (NCN 63 and 54). The scheme will improve the environment between the town Hall and the rail station. It will include better quality footways, safer conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, a cycle network that is easy to navigate and separation of pedestrians, cyclists, and traffic. By providing the safer space this will hopefully encourage a greater number of cyclists.
Following completion of the first phase of works to Station Street there will be continuous monitoring of the route to fully assess the impact of these improvements. However, in a relatively short period of time since the works were completed anecdotal evidence suggests that the numbers of wheeled users are increasing.
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Investing in infrastructure to provide safe, attractive, convenient walking and cycling routes are a means by which the built environment can have a positive influence on improving physical and mental wellbeing. Walking and cycling, whether as transport or recreation, is beneficial to mental health, can help to tackle problems of inactivity and contribute to the wider obesity agenda:
- Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death in the UK.
- Increased investment in cycling and walking could help narrow social economic inequalities in physical activity levels, as those from lower social economic backgrounds are more likely to use active travel (like cycling and walking) than those from more affluent backgrounds.
- Tackling obesity is one of the greatest long-term health challenges currently faced in England and the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the health consequences of living with an unhealthy weight.
LCWIP delivery and promotion will utilise Corporate engagement on health and wellbeing. This includes the sharing of communication channels used by Together Active Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and the Public Health and Prevention Team. There is also the opportunity to tap into the Do It to Feel Better campaign that links to the County Council’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Action Plan. The provision of additional revenue resources would enable the County Council to promote and encourage use of new walking and cycling facilities.
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Walking and cycling can contribute to some of the wider determinants of health including improved air quality and tackling climate change through reducing emissions and improving air quality:
- Air pollution contributes to 40,000 premature deaths each year.
- In 2019, transport accounted for a third (34%) of all carbon dioxide emissions, the majority arising from road travel. In England, 56% of car journeys are under 5 miles a distance most people could manage by bike.
The LCWIP links to the Climate Change Strategic Development Framework approved by Cabinet on 17 February 2021. Delivery of the LCWIP will influence travel in Staffordshire, helping to reduce Staffordshire’s wider carbon emissions and contributing to the wider benefit of increasing active travel.
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We are currently undertaking preliminary design on the following schemes:
- Cycle connectivity through adjacent residential areas
- NCN 54 cycle route extension from A 38 overbridge on Shobnall Road to the access for Henley Court
- Improvements to the Trent and Mersey Canal towpath to improve connectivity between the new housing developments around Lawns Farm, Branston and Burton
- Improved cycle provision on A 511.
- B 5018 Burton Road / Branston Road Shared use cycle route.
- A5121 Derby Road – Footway Improvements between Borough Road and the A511 Horninglow Street to include removal of street furniture, Footway surfacing, installation off drop crossings and additional pedestrian crossing facilities.
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Amey Highways – Staffordshire County Council Infrastructure+ Contractor
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The works are planned to be undertaken during summer 2024. The exact dates and duration are not known at this stage, but details will be communicated to stakeholders in due course.
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The exact phasing of the works is not known at this stage however the works will be programmed to minimise disruption to residents, businesses, pedestrians and traffic. Details of how the works will be phased will be communicated to stakeholders in due course.
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The exact traffic management for the works is not known at this stage however road and lane closures may be required for certain phases. Details of traffic management proposals will be communicated to stakeholders in due course.
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Borough Road will remain open to traffic where possible. Road and lane closures may be required for certain aspects of the works but the full extent of these are not known at this stage. Details of traffic management proposals will be communicated to stakeholders in due course.
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There may be a requirement to undertake some night-time or weekend working to complete the works and minimise disruption to traffic. Details of any planned closures will be communicated to stakeholders in due course.
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There may be a requirement to undertake some night-time or weekend working to complete the works and minimise disruption to traffic. Details of any planned closures will be communicated to stakeholders in due course.
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Access to Railway Station drop off area directly outside the Station will be maintained throughout the duration of the works. Should road closures be required west of the station then access will remain possibly from Station Street.
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Access to Railway Station Car Park Area will be maintained throughout the duration of the works. Should road closures be required west of the station then access will remain possibly from Station Street.