STOKE GABRIEL PARISH COUNCIL
RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION BY TORBAY COUNCIL ON THE CLOSURE OF BRIXHAM ROAD
Stoke Gabriel Parish Council submit the following comments relating to the proposed closure of Brixham Road to accommodate civil engineering works in connection with the Inglewood development on Brixham Road.
- Whilst recognising that the civil engineering works are required the planned programme of closure and the ramifications of the required time period have not been fully discussed with all the relevant stakeholders who are affected by the works.
- There seems to be an unnecessary hast to push through the proposals which we assume is down to the fact that a contract has already been signed with Roadform, the contractors.
- As a contract as been signed then we assume a programme for the works has been agreed although this has not been published by Torbay Council
- Any delay to the agreed programme will obviously mean additional costs incurred by Torbay if indeed they are the client for these works.
- From published information in the latest planning application to discharge the planning conditions attached to the original approval of Inglewood it confirms that discussions about the road closure have been taking place for many months.
- Why is it only now at the 11th hour, 6 weeks before the contract start date, is the public consultation process been adopted?
- If a contract has been signed then surely this indicates that the programme has already been agreed and therefore what is the point of any public consultation as this is unlikely to vary the programme due to the likelihood that any changes will lead to additional, and probably unbudgeted, costs.
- Are the works being undertaken Monday to Sunday so there are no “days off” to ensure the closure is kept to the absolute minimum period?
- Residents and road users will not be pleased to see no work being carried out at the weekends
- The use of Goodrington Road as the diversionary route is totally inadequate unless additional traffic measures and parking restrictions are put in place.
- In view of the volume of traffic that currently uses Brixham Road up to Windy Corner the whole of Goodrington Road should be an urban clearway with no parking allowed on the carriageway until the end of the road works.
- Goodrington Road is already a bust cut through for many users and to have parked cars bocking half the carriageway when large vehicles, including articulated lorries, are trying to use the road will only lead to further traffic congestion.
- Access to Goodrington Road from Brixham Road is controlled by traffic lights so this will regulate the flow of traffic onto Goodrington Road.
- However, will the phasing and timing of the traffic lights be altered to allow more traffic to access Goodrington Road on the same time period that at present exists for traffic travelling up to Windy Corner?
- Unless the phasing is changed then traffic will back up along Brixham Road waiting to turn into Goodrington Road which will cause further disruption and delay.
- At the junction of Goodrington Road and Dartmouth Road how is the additional traffic going to get out from the diversionary route in a reasonable period of time?
- Temporary Traffic lights should be installed at the junction of Goodrington Road and Dartmouth Road so that there is some guarantee that the diversionary route will feed the additional traffic out onto the Dartmouth Road in a reasonable period of time.
- Without any traffic lights then it is inevitable that long queues of traffic will build up at all access points to the junction.
- It will be also necessary to place the temporary traffic lights away from the T junction to allow ample room for articulated lorries to swing into Goodrington Road as they travel from Windy Corner along Dartmouth Road.
- No mention has been made in the consultation about how the diversion is going to be highlighted on all the major routes into the Bay?
- What signage is proposed to warm drivers of this closure?
- Is Torbay going to publicise regular updates on how the works are progressing?
- Is Torbay going to ensure all the major tourist attractions and those who provide accommodation are notified in advance of these works and kept up todate with progress?
- There will be many 100s of visitors who will be travelling to the Bay and surrounding areas during the period of the works to caravan and camp sites. Have all these locations been notified about the works?
- When the works at Windy Corner start the consultation states: At all times traffic will be able to flow through these junctions under traffic management. Does this mean the current two lanes at these junctions will be reduced to one lane with temporary traffic lights whilst the works are being undertaken meaning further delays will be incurred?
- What are the contingency plans if any unforeseen problems are found in the ground when the works are being undertaken?
- If further problems are found are the contractors going to work 24/7 to ensure the programme is completed?
We look forward to receiving a response to the above points so that all the practical aspects of this proposed closure can be understood by all residents who use the road on a regular basis.
Stoke Gabriel Parish Council
November 2022