Transport / More Lerwick traffic calming measures being considered
Consultations are set to be held for Gilbertson Road, King Harald Street, South Road and Lochside
PUBLIC consultations are set to take place in the future around possible new traffic calming measures in parts of Lerwick.
They will focus on four areas – Gilbertson Road, King Harald Street, South Road and Lochside.
Shetland Islands Council’s (SIC) roads service asset and network management team leader Colin Gair presented some early ideas to a meeting of Lerwick Community Council on Monday night to guage members’ thoughts.
Speaking after the meeting, he stressed the proposals are just ideas at this stage – with formal public consultation set to take place in the near future.
The most advanced proposal is Gilbertson Road.
Part of the road is already 20mph, near Bell’s Brae Primary School, and the rest is set to drop to 20mph soon as part of the new roll-out of lower limits in residential areas.
Gilbertson Road was the subject of a petition in 2019 which called for more traffic calming measures, with the then SIC starting work on proposals.
But the Covid pandemic and then new guidance on 20mph limits from the Scottish Government put the plans on the backburner.
However the SIC is looking to revisit traffic calming proposals in a bid to support the upcoming 20mph limit there.
Ideas presented to Lerwick Community Council included possible zebra crossings, potentially near the junction with Anderson Road and Hayfield Lane, which would be similar to the one next to the Viking bus station.
Also suggested is a flat topped hump near to the lower gate of the Bell’s Brae school which would see the road narrowed slightly, in a chicane style.
Other proposals include a couple of possible speed cushions, road markings and a raised junction area at the corner of Bell’s Road where it heads towards Montfield.
Gair said at Monday’s meeting that the proposals for Gilbertson Road are designed to address a “speeding issue that will not be solved by just putting up some signs”.
One long-standing issue is concern about children crossing the road at the school, while cars parking there can also affect visibility.
Regarding speed cushions, Gair said “nobody likes them, and I don’t like them – although they are a means to an end” and do help to slow traffic.
He added that cushions can allow larger vehicles, including the emergency services, to more easily pass than other traffic calming measures like flat topped humps.
The idea of road markings for cyclists was raised by Lerwick North and Bressay councillor Arwed Wenger, but the message back was there is limited road space at the moment – especially with vehicles parking on the street.
“Hopefully the whole ethos of reducing vehicle speeds will make folk feel safer cycling,” Gair added.
He is set to meet with the Bell’s Brae parent council on the Gilbertson Park ideas before a public consultation is held in the coming months.
King Harald Street meanwhile is one road in Lerwick which was left out of the roll-out of 20mph zones in town.
Gair said this is because it would need traffic calming measures and could be likely to receive objections, which would have delayed the rest of the 20mph roll-out.
He pointed to the adjacent play park as a reason for a lower speed limit being required.
Possible traffic calming measures which have been suggested include the junction with King Erik Street – which leads towards the playpark and flower park gates – being a raised junction area.
The raised junction area would result in the road being the same level as the kerb, so people with prams would not need to stop to lift them up.
This would include one or more zebra crossings, on King Erik Street and King Harald Street.
Also suggested are a couple of flat topped road humps with zebra crossings – like the Viking bus station one – near the junctions to Union Street and Harbour Street.
Speaking a Monday’s meeting, Leask continued to express concern about King Harald Street and young pedestrians.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of families in the area with young children and they’re actually quite concerned about the speed of the cars in King Harald Street,” the councillor said.
“Whereas the adults are maybe less concerned, but dare I say you wouldn’t put your kid on a bike there, that’s for sure.
“I think something has to be looked at.”
Gair said the SIC has also had representations about the road around the nursery at the end of King Harald Street, and he is also well aware of issues with the junction at the other end.
The north junction of King Harald Street, opposite the Lerwick Legion, was described as a “nightmare” for pedestrians, and this could be looked at separately in the future.
“Twenty mile an hour speeds in place in the area helps drive that change,” Gair added.
“There is funding available for that sort of improvements, [and] I’ll do my best to tap into it.”
A possible extension of the 20mph zone along Scalloway Road and South Road was also put to members of Lerwick Community Council.
This could potentially see a zebra crossing, possibly near the junction to Bell’s Road, and depending on its location, a set of speed cushions.
Meanwhile Lochside is also set to be consulted on.
Lerwick South councillor John Fraser said feedback from some residents highlighted an interest in South Lochside being considered for a lower speed limit.
He said the view from some residents was that there were a “lot of potential hazards” in the area.
King Harald Street, South Road and Lochside would all be consulted on at the same time.
It is expected that the consultation could happen sometime this year.
Regarding the wider roll-out of 20mph zones in residential parts of Lerwick, which is being funded by the Scottish Government, Gair said all of the signs are pretty much all up.
Once road markings are completed then the signs can be uncovered.
Lower speed limits are also in line to be introduced in Scalloway, with the signs there due up shortly.
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