Gravel Hill to Wood Lane
Improvements are now in place along Queen Anne Drive/Magna Road, Merley between Gravel Hill and Wood Lane.
Gravel Hill to Merley Lane
The new improvements include:
- A new, wider shared use path between Rempstone Road and Merley Lane on the north side of Queen Anne Drive
- Junction improvements where Queen Anne Drive meets Rempstone Road, Montacute Way, Lynwood Drive and Merley Lane with safer crossing points for people walking and cycling.
Merley Lane to Canford Arena Way
The new improvements include:
- Junction improvements at the entrance into Hamworthy Club giving more priority to pedestrians and cyclists across the access road
- A new 3m-wide shared use path on the north side of Magna Road between Merley Lane and Canford Arena Way junction (by the Canford Magna Garden Centre)
- New toucan crossings and traffic signals at the Canford Magna junction with Magna Road
- Refurbished and improved bus stops with raised access to make it easier to get on and off buses.
Canford Arena Way to Wood Lane
The new improvements undertaken on this section include:
- Converting the existing footway on the north side of Magna Road between Canford Arena Way junction and Knighton Lane to a new shared cycling/walking path. This has been completed.
- Widening the existing shared path on the south side of Magna Road, creating more space for cyclists and pedestrians. This will be completed from Monday 18 November.
The final planned improvements from Knighton Lane to Wood Lane, originally due to be funded through the Transforming Cities Fund, have been revised following a national review by the Department for Transport.
Some of the improvements were undertaken by Taylor Wimpey, the developer of the Canford Vale housing development north of Magna Road, and some were delivered through south east Dorset’s Transforming Cities Fund. The work was undertaken in three sections as detailed below:
Magna Road/Knighton Lane/Provence Drive junction
Improvements were delivered by Taylor Wimpey, and include:
- Junction improvements
- New and upgraded toucan crossings
- Upgrading the footway on the north side of Magna Road to a space for walking and cycling.
Hainault Drive (new road at 94 Magna Road)
A new road has been constructed at 94 Magna Road to access Canford Vale. Improvements at the Magna Road/Hainault Drive junction were delivered by the developer Taylor Wimpey and include:
- A new signalised junction
- New toucan crossings
- Upgrading the footway on the north and south side of Magna Road to a space for walking and cycling.
106 to 148 Magna Road (the section between Magna Road/Knighton Lane/Provence Drive junction and Hainault Drive)
Funded through the TCF programme, improvements completed in November 2024 following completion of emergency gas repair works in the area. They include:
- Widening the existing footways on both sides of Magna Road (between east of the Magna Road/Knighton Lane/Provence Drive junction and west of the new signalised junction at the former no. 94 Magna Road) to create new shared space for walking and cycling
- Modified kerb lines at the Magna Road/King John Avenue junction
- A new ‘informal’ pedestrian crossing and refuge island on Magna Road, west of the King John Avenue junction
- Improvements to bus stops including two new bus shelters.
Public consultation
Plans for these improvements were informed by responses gathered during public engagement late 2020 and formal consultation which ran from 10 May to 14 June 2021. Reports summarising the results are available via the links below:
