Out of the survey from 2016, TACC identified 15 ‘hotspots’ for cycling. TACC made statements to Somerset County Council (Nov 2016) and Taunton Deane Council (Dec 2016) asking for the hotspots to be addressed. We are meeting with Somerset County Council officers on a regular basis to discuss the hotspots and other cycling issues.
Since 2016, there has been only very limited progress on resolving the ‘hotspots’ as follows:
- Leycroft Avenue subway has been resurfaced
- There have been some improvements at Creech Castle, although there has been criticism that these are only partially effective
- The multi-million car based project at Junction 25 includes a series of new crossings and the old problem of crossing the M5 southbound on slip has been removed. The new arrangement is very convoluted and long winded. One cyclist using the provision described it as ‘arse around elbow’
- Possibly the hotspot most raised with us by people, the Market House roundabout, has received funding to be resurfaced. However Somerset Council have pulled this scheme. This is because it is affected by wider traffic management ideas for the town centre. These in turn keep being delayed for various reasons.
This leaves 11 locations which have had no attention, including Station Road. Station Road has one of the highest crash rates involving cyclist, in the County. Wellington to Taunton and Bishops Lydeard to Taunton are currently under study.
1. Station Road, Taunton – high traffic volumes, narrow lanes, cycle lanes blocked, problem junctions
2. Cobbles at Market Hall – at least one person has reported injuries/hospital attendance
3. Crossing on slip road J25
4. Lack of safety/provision for cyclists on A38 Taunton to Wellington
5. Lack of safety/provision for cyclists on A348 Taunton to Bishops Lydeard
6. Compass Hill gyratory- multiple lanes, and high speeds make it difficult to negotiate and generally intimidating.
7. Roundabout Crescent/Corporation St – difficult to negotiate
8. Multiple problems as Castle Street/Tangier/A38 area
9. Obridge Viaduct – many people avoid it
10. Lack of crossings across Silk Mills road; especially when trying to get across to Long Run Meadow
11. Subway Leycroft Road-Victoria Park cycle/walking path – very poor surface and can feel intimidating
*** FIXED *** It has been resurfaced which is progress. We have had an email saying that the surface is rather bumpy (not machine laid) and another saying that it is quite smooth. How it feels probably depends on your wheel type. What do you think?