Work to install chicanes at four points along Chewton Farm Road in Walkford, Christchurch starts on 8 February 2010.

The traffic-calming work has come about following a public consultation about a proposal to close the road completely at its junction with Walkford Road.

The results of the consultation indicated that a road closure would divert traffic to the surrounding roads putting increased pressure on them and causing delays.

Members of Christchurch Council’s Community Services Committee decided, in the light of the results of the consultation, that instead of closing the road completely, road calming measures should be introduced to slow traffic down.

Three chicanes are to be formed by widening verges locally to give the appearance of a single lane carriageway with smooth curves, as these are believed to be the most appropriate for this semi-rural road. The chicane at the northern end of the road will use kerbed chicane islands as there is an existing footway at this part of the road.  All chicanes are designed to take into account the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.

The work to create the chicanes will take up to six weeks, during which time the road will be closed to through traffic. Access will always be available to residents and businesses in the road. Advance notice signs to warn of the road closure have already been put in place and letters have been sent to residents in the area.

Cllr Sally Derham Wilkes, chairman of Christchurch Council’s Community Services Committee, said: “Although the residents of the road requested a road closure due to speeding traffic, the committee decided that this would cause problems when traffic diverted to other roads in the vicinity.

“We trust that these traffic calming measures will slow the traffic down as the residents of the road wished to happen.”