Work is underway to enhance active travel and improve pedestrian safety on Fairfield Road, Dorchester.
Fairfield Road is privately owned by the council, with parking spaces along it provided as part of the off-street Fairfield Car Park provision.
It is an important route for pedestrians moving around the town, it is the most direct, signposted route between the railway stations and the most direct route between Dorchester South station and the hospital.
With almost 600 spaces, Fairfield Car Park generates substantial levels of vehicular and pedestrian traffic along the road.
Despite this constant, heavy use by pedestrians, the road has no dedicated pedestrian footway, with walkers and wheelchair-users forced to use the road.
A footway separated from traffic will give pedestrians – particularly disabled people – a safe route between the car park and town centre amenities.
Providing a safer route
Proposals aim to improve the environment on Fairfield Road to create a safer route for pedestrians by:
- creating a wide footway along the length of Fairfield Road
- providing safer crossing points across Fairfield Road at junctions
- installing a new access into the car park directly from the railway station (from Copper Street)
- providing better street lighting on Fairfield Road
- restricting vehicle access to Fairfield Road at the Weymouth Avenue end, creating a pedestrianised space in this busy area
A consultation exercise was carried out earlier this year and the report has been published.