Gravel Hill to Wood Lane
Improvements are now in place along Queen Anne Drive/Magna Road, Merley between Gravel Hill and Knighton Lane. The final phase of work on this scheme between Knighton Lane and Wood Lane is now due to complete in July. It is being part funded through the Transforming Cities Fund and part funded by Taylor Wimpey. See below for further information.
What is happening
Gravel Hill to Merley Lane works are complete.
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 - complete
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 - part complete
The new improvements undertaken to date 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
- Widening the existing shared path on the south side of Magna Road, creating more space for cyclists and pedestrians.
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 will now be undertaken by Taylor Wimpey, the developer of the Canford Vale housing development north of Magna Road, and some will be delivered through south east Dorset’s Transforming Cities Fund. The work is being undertaken in three sections as detailed below:
Magna Road/Knighton Lane/Provence Drive junction
Improvements currently underway at this junction are being 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.
New road at 94 Magna Road
A new road will be constructed at 94 Magna Road to access Canford Vale. Improvements at this new road junction are being 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 the new road at 94 Magna Road)
Funded through the TCF programme, improvements started on 11 March 2024 and are due to complete in July. 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:
