10.1 The Island of Portland is served by a single main A-Road the A354 which terminates at Easton Square. All other roads on the Island including those from Easton Square to Portland Bill and return are recognised only as C-roads (i.e. unclassified). The storms of 2014 highlighted the dependency of the Island on the Beach Road, which is our only road link to the mainland.
10.2 The quality and capacity of the road network is a constraining factor in many ways. It begins immediately with the limitations of the access routes to the mainland. There is a long-held desire locally to by-pass Underhill, to improve accessibility to the rest of the Island and relieve congestion and its negative impacts on parts of Underhill. It is widely believed that the current road network serves as a constraint on both economic and tourism development.
10.3 Portland Port is a vital as a transport hub/ gateway/ interchange between land and sea, offering import and export opportunities. The lack of an adequate road network feeding into this hub is a significant constraint on growth and the Port’s status.
10.4 Car ownership levels on Portland are lower than in many areas of the South West. Almost a quarter of households did not have a car at the time of the 2011 Census. Car ownership is not encouraged by the problems the Island has with providing parking, its narrow roads and the lack of dedicated resident parking areas in almost all the settlement areas. This makes transport policies and the future role and impact of public transport options very significant, if we are to constrain the impact of the motor vehicle on our lives and environment.
10.5 The public transport service is important and is often criticised by local people. Several areas on the Island are not served. There is a need for additional routes to link to services and employment sites and for separate school services. A new rail link to and from the Island, though unlikely in the next few years, would be a much-welcomed addition and would undoubtedly contribute to making us less car dependent.
10.6 The Island’s topography does not make cycling and walking the easiest of travel options, but there are opportunities that could be taken to provide separate, better and safer routes for both; and there is a lot of community support for making improvements so as to encourage people to walk and cycle more. More bridleways would also be welcomed.
| Transport | |
|---|---|
| Aim | Accommodate the car in an unobtrusive manner and support non-car travel options |
| Objectives |
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Policy No. Port/TR1 Improving Public Transport Links
Opportunities for public transport links to be improved or developed between settlements and other destinations on the Island and between Portland and the mainland will be supported.
10.7 The island enjoys a relatively high frequency of bus service, but for many local people, there is little else about the current public transport service and network on Portland that we should feel satisfied with. The Community Consultation in 2013 brought forward many complaints about the frequency and reliability of the service, the lack of service to some parts of the Island, and the failure of the service to synchronise properly with employment, education and community facilities (both on and off the Island) to encourage people to leave the car at home and help make the desired service more viable. The Weymouth and Portland Access Group (WPAG) has told us that “the retention and improvement of public transport providing access to settlements off the main spine bus route to Southwell would be of considerable benefit to many people with disabilities, people caring for young children, and people without use of their own transport46”. Despite the Local Plan Policy COM8 supporting ‘community travel exchanges’ where local traffic, cycling and walking can link with public transport, there is no such local hub on or adjacent to Portland. The flat area of Osprey Quay or Victoria Square, which was the traditional interchange location, would appear to be areas where this could be a possibility.
10.8 We appreciate that the Neighbourhood Plan on its own can do little to improve the public transport situation. However, we feel it is important to signify that we are supportive of development proposals, such as interchange facilities and pedestrian links, which would help extend or improve accessibility to the public transport network. Good links between new development on the Island and public transport should be a very important consideration.
10.9 The NPPF (para. 104) says that we should “identify and protect, where there is robust evidence, sites and routes which could be critical in developing infrastructure to widen transport choice”. Policy Port/TR1 is also supportive, in principle, of development would that broaden the public transport options for local people in the years’ ahead, such as a rapid transport link from the Island to the mainland.
Policy No. Port/TR2 Improving the Transport Infrastructure
Improvements to the transport infrastructure and network in the interests of safety, increasing choice and/or reducing congestion are supported.
Development proposals and schemes that serve to take through-traffic away from the areas and roads on Portland that are regularly congested will be supported provided they will not have an unacceptable environmental impact.
10.10 Several locations on Portland are regarded as traffic ‘hotspots’. Where the volume and speed of traffic can cause difficulties or safety issues to other road users. Portland has a limited distributor road network much of which carries 1,000 vehicles or more per hour47. There is general agreement that improvements are needed. The most often cited locations for traffic congestion and road safety concerns are:
Castletown – which is experiencing increased employment and visitor activity and increased HGV traffic to and from the Port
Fortuneswell – the one-way system and New Rd have problems coping with the volume of traffic and peak times. Traffic flow is regularly impeded by bus stops, HGV traffic. The stability of New Road is also an issue.
Verne Common Estate – the increased volume of traffic to the Verne must deal with a considerable number of on-road parked cars on the estate
Grove Road – the sight-lines and the number of parked vehicles are a significant impediment on this narrow road
Reforne - restricted sight-lines, on-road parked cars and the bus route all make traversing this area more difficult
Haylands Estate - is used as a through-route between Weston and Tesco/Easton Square
Southwell – with its many narrow roads, generally ‘suffers’ from a high traffic volume, made worse by the number of on-road parked cars
10.11 Recent storms have highlighted the dependency of the Island on the Beach Road and how prone it is to be flooded. There has been local debate about raising the height of the road. There has been a long-held desire of local people to enable traffic to by-pass Underhill in some way by creating a road around/through the Port (whilst addressing the Port’s security concerns). The community is open to proposals that will improve circulation whilst reducing congestion and increasing safety. The community response to a draft policy in the 1st Consultation Version of the Portland Neighbourhood Plan drew a significant amount of support for a policy that would help relieve traffic volume and congestion at the known ‘hotspots’.
10.12 The NPPF (para. 104) says plans should ensure “strategies and investments for supporting sustainable transport and development patterns are aligned”. Policy Port/TR2 recognises where the issues are and is supportive of development proposals aimed at relieving the problems in these areas and/or improving the traffic situation in the interests of safety and reducing the impact of the motor vehicle on the natural and living environment.
Policy No. Port/TR3 Reducing Parking Problems
All development proposals must make adequate provision for off-street parking taking into consideration the type of development, the accessibility of the location, and, as regards residential development, the Local Plan parking standards.
Existing public car parking areas will be safeguarded, and their capacity maintained, unless it can be demonstrated that they are no longer needed or suitable alternative provision is made.
Development proposals specifically to provide additional public car parking areas will be supported provided the need in that location is demonstrated and:
10.13 The Community Survey of 2014 confirmed that car parking is considered a major problem. 80% of survey respondents thought it was an ‘issue’. A similar proportion said we need additional off-street parking facilities on Portland. On-road parking is a necessity but not easy for car-owning households in Reforne, Southwell, The Grove and nearly all areas in Underhill. To relieve the situation at Underhill the two main car parks, at Fairfield Hambro and Lord Clyde, are free for up to 72 hours’ continuous stay, with most locals using these for overnight parking. This results in very full car parks at most times and little space for visitors staying over-night. We do have a few short-term pay and display car parks mainly for day visitors, at Castletown, the Masonic, the Chesil Centre and Portland Bill. In certain areas, such as The Grove, Reforne and Southwell, on-street parking creates road narrowing and reduced sightlines to the extent that they threaten the safety of road users. The community response to the 1st Consultation Version of the Portland Neighbourhood Plan drew a significant amount of support for a policy that included protection of existing public car parks. Policy Port/TR3 therefore safeguards public car parking areas.
10.14 The NPPF (para. 106) says that we should “seek to improve the quality of parking in town centres so that it is convenient, safe and secure”. Our ‘centres’ at Castletown, Chiswell, Fortuneswell and Easton would certainly benefit from improved parking arrangements to accommodate the visitors that will help sustain local services and facilities. Better signposting would be a useful start. The concept of ‘village car parks’ was discussed during our consultations. There is scope, it is believed, at Grove and Reforne for such an area.
10.15 So as not to add further to the problems we experience, policy Port/TR3 requires all new development on Portland to make provision for an adequate number of off-road car parking spaces, appropriate to the type of development and subsequent use.
10.16 Policy Port/TR3 is also supportive in principle of development proposals to create additional off-road public parking areas that will be managed in such a way as to serve an identifiable local need in the area in which they are located and are designed to minimise any adverse impact on the natural or living environment.
Policy No. Port/TR4 Increasing Travel Links
Development proposals that improve accessibility or improve links to or extend the network of footpaths, bridleways and cycle-routes will be supported if they do not result in unacceptable harm to the natural environment.
10.17 As a community, we recognise the benefits of getting around the local area without having to use the car. Whilst 58% of respondents to the Community Survey in 2014 though that the footpath network was sufficient, 65% said we should improve the cycle network. The NPPF (para. 98) says we should “protect and enhance public rights of way and access, including taking opportunities to provide better facilities for users”. There are identifiable opportunities to improve and extend the network by making better use and management of the Quarry Haul roads and ancient cart tracks on the Island.
10.18 Policy Port/TR4 responds to the message from the Community Consultation in 2013 that said we should have a better more integrated network of routes that were kept in good condition and served cyclists and horse-riders as well as pedestrians. There have been complaints that damage to limestone grassland and erosion to green paths has allegedly been caused by mountain bikes and horse-riders.
10.19 We support development proposals that ensure our network is more comprehensive, relevant, safe and accessible, serving the needs of visitors and encouraging local people to enjoy the special environment in which they live. Such improvements should be accompanied by a management plan that ensures the network is properly used and maintained.
46 Response to Regulation Consultation on the Pre-Submission Version of the Portland Neighbourhood Plan, Jul 2018
47 Portland Transport Capacity Technical Assessment, Dorset County Council, Aug 2012
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