Traffic Survey: Sunday 19th August

Not exactly anything to do with trains, but very important to our future plans!

L&B enthusiasts are always keen to hear the latest news regarding the railway, and indeed some are heard to claim that because they hear nothing, then nothing is happening!  Well rest assured, there is always something happening - but not all of it is about track, coaches, locos, etc.  Here, for example, is a report from one of our regular volunteers that has nothing at all to do with the railway at Woody Bay, but everything to do with the L&B's future development of Blackmoor.

---

Dave Bloomfield sent us this report of the recent traffic survey at Blackmoor

The Department for Transport (DfT) guidelines require a transport assessment to demonstrate that any proposed development will not result in unacceptable queues, delays or road safety outcomes.  In support of our Outline Planning Application, the L&B needs to carry out traffic surveys at both Blackmoor and Woody Bay.

In order to assess the impact of the development in terms of queues and delays, DfT models the junctions using their approved software. This modelling requires turning movement data (i.e. how many vehicles turn left, right or continue ahead).

Queues and delays occur where vehicles turn across the path of other vehicles and require a gap in oncoming traffic. While the impact of development in terms of total traffic is relatively low, a significant proportion of these vehicles will be turning right to/from the A399 and waiting for gaps in oncoming traffic.  This is why it is necessary to quantify the extent of additional queuing resulting from our development, and to demonstrate that these queues will not result in an unacceptable road safety impact.

Although there is already some data available on traffic movements along the A399, and potential traffic flows can often be deduced from a mix of available data and calculations, it is important to fully understand the number of vehicles turning in and out of the side roads. It is also important to understand the occupancy of the car park during busy visitor days, which may in turn affect traffic movements on the A399 and for this, observations are essential.

This is why on Sunday 19th August, ten volunteers were at Woody Bay Station at 9am, awaiting instructions! 

The first team - Tony and Irene Cross, and Richard Burgess - commenced the survey at Woody Bay car park at 10am. Their task was to record transport movements in and out  of Woody Bay, and also from which direction cars came and went.  This survey was due to end at 6pm.

The remainder of the volunteers - Brom Bromidge, Bruce Nottrodt, Julian and Lindsay Palmer, Dave Tooke, Mike Smale and Dave Bloomfield - went to Blackmoor to record traffic movements in all directions as specified by Arup.  Each team had to record road traffic in two directions, starting at 12.30pm and finishing at 4.30pm.