CTC Cymru http://www.ctc.org.uk/wales has shared its Caernarfon Bypass recommendations with CyclingNorthWales. It reports:-
Serious planning deficiencies.
It notes that the present plans have serious deficiencies which impact on the current line of National Cycle Route 8 (Lon Eifion), But with marginal changes they offer an opportunity to achieve great improvements for all modes of travel.
Impact on the Lon Eifion Active Travel Route.
Inappropriately, the present plans show the roundabout crossings on the new road – including a National Cycle route – at grade, without priority or protection. Adjacent roads will continue to be too fast and too busy for sharing as defined under the Active Travel Act (ATA) guidelines.(See what Sustrans has to say about Active Travel Wales http://www.sustrans.org.uk/wales/policy)
The route needs bicycle (and foot) underpass or overpass facilities of good quality at all roundabouts and at each road crossing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l2oR5ssyAU shows a good-quality underpass, which on these roundabouts would offer both physical and social safety sufficient to meet the requirements of the ATA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcAxESPKchA shows various designs of bridges and tunnels, one or the other of which would be required at each of the smaller crossings.
To reduce through-traffic.
Traffic generated within the town is enough to make active travel planning for Caernarfon town centre very difficult, and the present plans will do little to remedy this. The main benefits of a bypass (see e.g., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3VwCu1ErbM, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QVsDH8tJM0) can only be achieved when there is no benefit for private motor vehicles in using the built-up area of Caernarfon as a through route.
Ysgubor Goch
In present plans, traffic from Ysgubor Goch still has to follow its long route through built-up areas. Direct access from Ysgubor Goch, and also to Ffordd Coed Marion and the south side of Cibyn estate, would go far to allowing this bypass to fulfill its intended function.
In the outlying villages, it is unfortunate that in the present plan, local through-traffic between Llanwnda/Dinas, Bontnewydd, and the A4085 via Beddgelert must still pass through Bontnewydd, rather than on the bypass.
Caeathro
CTC Cymru recommends direct access from the A4085 near Caeathro to the bypass, so that through traffic will not need to pass through Bontnewydd and active travel there will be facilitated. An additional access near Dinas would allow traffic from both Bontnewydd and Llanwnda to move directly onto the bypass without passing through Llanwnda.
CyclingNorthWales urges all supporters of Active Travel to study the bypass proposals carefully, and consider supporting these recommendations.
A reminder of what this scheme is about-http://www.cbbypass.co.uk/index.
DON’T DELAY !!
Consider supporting CTC Cymru’s recommendations – in your own words if you wish.
Send to the Project Liaison Officer Bryn Williams at bryn@jones-bros.com . Copy to Gwynedd’s council member for transport, Dafydd Meurig DafyddMeurig@gwynedd.gov.uk
