Safe, Sustainable Travel Torbay

The plan of the ‘Harbourside Regeneration Project’ was to reduce car dominance and make a more attractive ‘public realm’ aka really big pavement by the Harbourside in Torquay. This was going to be done by reducing the road from 2 lanes each way to one and redirecting the buses so most of them no longer travelled along there. A two-way high specification, totally segregated cycleway was incorporated into the design.

So far, so good. Work started at the end of 2023 and there was lots of disruption, but on the whole, residents were looking forward to the improvements.

In summer 24, having heard a rumour that the cyclelane was going to be scrapped, we were been pressing for more information, when Torbay Council released ‘Torquay’s harbourside to have two-way traffic over six-week summer holiday’. This update contained the information we had been dreading, seemingly hidden in paragraph 4.

Our project team has had to make some amendments to the design of the south side after essential utilities were identified in an area that was originally marked for underground tree pits. The revised design now sees the line of trees moved closer to the kerb line which has necessitated that cycling provision is now incorporated into the main carriageway. Cyclists will have access points at either end of the Strand to safely join the carriageway, which will be a dedicated 20mph zone.

The cycling community were in disbelief and then, as it seemed clearer this was the final decision, anger, frustration and even grief for what could have been. We rallied together – pleading for alternatives, gaining petition signatures, meeting with Council Officers to try to make sense of the situation.

Our efforts came to a head on 12th September when we attended the Council Meeting en mass, presented the petition and a number of formal questions were asked of the council. This fascinating meeting can be viewed here://www.youtube.com/live/Eae7uTgHa68?si=5hzjF-8mKHyMgpLH&t=1828

A month after the meeting and I chased up the Petition to hear that due to Officer Absence and an ‘oversight’ no action has been taken on this.