Field Head A50 Leicester Road

The scheme has been approved and works are expected to start during week commencing 23rd October 2006, for a period of 10 weeks

As you may be aware from previous publicity, the County Council is proposing to implement a traffic signal controlled crossing on the A50 at Field Head.

When the scheme was first investigated, it was concluded that there were only two possible locations which would properly coincide with where most people wished to cross the road, one by the Coach and Horses Public House and the other by Ratby Lane junction.

The County Council believe that the former location was preferable as it would provide better access to the relocated bus stop, was closer to the residential centre of Field Head and was better located for connecting with leisure, walking and cycling routes within Charnwood Forest.

Groby Parish Council objected to this location during preliminary consultations preferring the alternative location and an amended design was produced adjacent to Ratby Lane.
Formal consultation for this amended scheme design took place in December last year. However during the detailed design for this scheme a safety concern was identified.

The safety fence on the inside bend between the A50 southbound and the adjacent service road restricts forward visibility.

Although the traffic signals would be visible above the fence, there would be inadequate forward visibility of the crossing itself.

Drivers approaching the crossing could have inadequate time to respond to a pedestrian deciding to cross whilst the signals were showing green to traffic or of vehicles queuing at the stop line of the crossing

Because of these safety concerns, the County Council has concluded that a pedestrian crossing near Ratby Lane posed an unacceptable risk. In order to provide a safe crossing facility for the residents of Field Head, the County Council intends to proceed with the scheme as originally designed near to the Coach and Horses Public House.

A staggered traffic signal controlled crossing facility for pedestrians and cyclists to cross both north and southbound two lane A50 dual carriageway

Uncontrolled crossing points will be established with dropped kerbs and tactile paving across adjacent service roads and Ratby Lane to link to the signalled crossing.

The existing uncontrolled crossing points on the A50 adjacent to the Ratby Lane will be removed

The temporary bus stop situated opposite 184 Leicester Road will be moved to a permanent location 30 metres south. The kerbs will be aligned to provide a bus stop lay-by with raised kerbs to help access and egress for bus passengers and an enclosed bus shelter will be provided.

The redundant bus stop lay-by opposite Ratby Lane will be removed and reinstated as grass verge.

Field Head A50 Leicester Road Proposals (pdf, 370kB)
This plan is limited to on line viewing only © Crown Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved. Use of this image is limited to viewing on-line and printing one copy. Leicestershire County Council. 100019271.

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A leaflet will be delivered to Field Head residents during June 2006

Many comments have been received from the consultation process that took place in December 2005. If you commented thank you for taking the time to do so.
A large majority of those who completed the comment form or wrote to us generally supported the scheme. In light of the safety concerns associated with the Ratby Lane location, the County Council intend to proceed with the scheme in the only remaining credible location, near to the Coach and Horses Public House, in order to satisfy the needs of the community as confirmed in our earlier consultation. Formal notification of the pedestrian crossing proposal will be undertaken during June 2006.

If you wish to discuss these proposals please contact:-

Richard Wightman on direct line telephone number 0116 305 7338

or Email its@leics.gov.uk

The County Council is reviewing options for the positioning of a pedestrian crossing in Field Head to overcome safety concerns identified by engineers. Originally proposed for installation near the Coach and Horses, the intended location of the crossing was repositioned near the Ratby Lane junction at the request of Groby Parish Council. However, because there is a bend in the A50 at that point, highway engineers have carried out further checks, which have given rise to safety concerns. These checks have shown that the safety fence on the inside of the bend between the A50 and the adjacent service road restricts forward visibility and although the traffic signals would be visible above the fence, there is not enough forward visibility of the crossing itself. Drivers approaching the crossing could have inadequate warning of a pedestrian deciding to cross whilst the signals were showing green to traffic.  

The County Council is now exploring other positions for the crossing either near the Coach and Horses as previously planned or further towards Groby beyond the bend in the road. Officers are discussing the issues with Groby Parish Council prior to publishing further proposals for public comment.

A spokesperson for the County Council said: We have recently reduced the speed limit to 40 mph and would provide a high friction road surface but even with these measures, there remains a potential risk of collision. Whilst the Ratby Lane location is preferred, this obviously presents an unacceptable safety concern which the County Council cannot ignore.

Personal safety is the County Council’s prime concern and we have concluded that the provision of a pedestrian crossing near Ratby Lane poses an unacceptable risk.

Background
The A50 is a high speed, high volume dual carriageway which forms a substantial barrier to pedestrian movement for the residents of Field Head. Residents have raised road safety concerns regarding the A50 and records show 10 people have been injured in accidents on this section of the A50 since 2000 ( including one pedestrian attempting to cross the A50)

A programme of bus stop improvements throughout the 117 / 118 bus route have been carried out recently. Two bus stops at Field Head are still to be improved, these are the northbound bus stop outside 310 Leicester Road and the temporary southbound bus stop opposite 184 Leicester Road.

The temporary southbound bus stop was established last year following a decision by Arriva to stop using the bus stop in the lay-by opposite Ratby Lane for safety reasons.

A staggered traffic signal controlled crossing facility for pedestrians and cyclists to cross both north and southbound two lane A50 dual carriageway

Uncontrolled crossing points will be established with dropped kerbs and tactile paving across adjacent service roads and Ratby Lane to link to the signalled crossing.

The existing uncontrolled crossing points on the A50 adjacent to the Ratby Lane will be removed

To establish this location as a permanent bus stop with the provision of an enclosed bus shelter ( identified in the  Groby Parish Plan) at a revised position and raised kerbs to help access and egress for bus passengers using this bus stop.

The redundant bus stop lay-by opposite Ratby Lane will be removed and reinstated as grass verge.

Proposed Toucan Crossing Plan (pdf, 1.1mb)
This plan is limited to on line viewing only © Crown Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. Use of this image is limited to viewing on-line and printing one copy. Leicestershire County Council. 100019271.

A leaflet with comment form was delivered to the residents of Field Head and an on line comment form was provided with this webpage

What happens next?

After the consultation period ends, all comments will be assessed and any updated information will be posted on the webpage.

All comments will be treated in confidence and must reach us by 6th January 2006.