A council has responded to concerns from a cycling campaign group about a “slippery and very uneven surface” that has caused crashes and put riders off using the route. Somerset Council insisted that, while many cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and motorists have signed a petition demanding “urgent repairs”, there is no funding available for anything more than minor work.
The story has been picked up by the BBC, Taunton Area Cycling Campaign (TACC) urging action on the “slippery and very uneven surface” at the Market House roundabout in Taunton, an important link between the A3027 and the town’s main shopping area.
However, while a TACC petition demanding repairs to the cobbled surface has attracted more than 400 signatures, Somerset Council said funding is an issue and it only has the budget for minor repairs.
“Many cyclists have told us that they find this junction scary, and some people avoid the area with their bikes and tell us they have fallen off their bikes,” Marian Nieuwenhuizen and Pip Sheard of TACC told the council.
“This is due to a slippery and very uneven surface, making it difficult to properly steer a cycle and hand signal. This is especially so when vehicles are in conflict with cyclist’s movements. Motorcyclists and even drivers have told us that the poor surface is a problem.”
In response, the council said it was aware of issues with the roundabout, but pointed to a lack of funding for why it cannot be repaired beyond minor work.
“We are aware of the concerns about this junction, and it is unfortunate that the cost increases in delivering the project has meant the future high streets funding could not stretch to this junction,” Councillor Richard Wilkins said, directing anyone with issues to report them on the council’s website.
“We have had to stretch this funding a long way and we have to rely on external funding for significant improvements.”
In 2020, TACC supported Somerset West and Taunton Council in a successful bid that gained £13.9m being awarded from the government’s future high streets fund to deliver an improved walking and cycling route between Taunton railway station and Vivary Park.
However, the local authority stated the rising cost of materials means the roundabout will not be upgraded.
TACC’s concern about the route dates back to 2016 when a survey was conducted to record “areas of danger, accidents, and unsafe infrastructure” in Taunton. The roundabout was regularly cited, and since then “TACC have liaised with the local council to try and find a solution to upgrade the roundabout so that all road users feel safe”.
“This has culminated with nothing being upgraded and the roundabout increasingly in need of repair; with gaps in the cobbles widening, paving cracking, and pot holes in the road making for a dangerous road surface for those on two wheels.
“The Market House Roundabout has always been a hazard to cyclists trying to negotiate the town centre of Taunton and has been subject to a high amount of accidents.”
TACC reports “huge potholes and gaps” between the cobblestones and has once again stressed how hazardous the surface has been for the riders who still use the route.
8 thoughts on “Council shuts down cyclists’ calls for “urgent repairs” to “slippery and very uneven surface” at notorious cobbled roundabout, as ‘no funding available’ despite crashes”
When was the roundabout
When was the roundabout constructed? It looks modern to me, and if so, why didn’t the risk assessment pick up the fact that it was stupidly dangerous for two wheeled vehicles?
Not a local so not sure, but
Not a local so not sure, but articles (inc. in road.cc in 2022) suggest that literally nothing has changed since then (except it was Ryan reporting then). Plus there was a survey in 2016 which collated the opinion that this roundabout was felt to be unsafe by cyclists (history since then here).
I wonder if how it is now was to do with “shared space” (“but it looks so nice in the pictures” – without the motor vehicles which will in short order dominate it). EDIT
Compared to 2006 it looks like the same basic kind of design was actually made wider (looks like stone sett pattern changes – see here). Actually I think it’s unchanged since 2006.I can see mention of a “Project Taunton” starting around 2006 for improvements inc. town centre?
Of course, that was just to make a nicer place, for people, I’m sure! No doubt the townsfolk and worthies wouldn’t tolerate something merely functional – never mind “ugly”. Must be in keeping – look at our historic market place! The war memorial!
Reading some consultation responses apparently a few years back – “we can’t narrow the space, how on earth will coaches and buses turn?” (Presumably very very large charabancs they have?)
Of course – getting on for 10 years to actually get started on a single scheme is par for the course for cycling infra in the UK, if not rather speedy!
The London Borough of
The London Borough of Wandsworth has taken to installing granite blocks for paving on raised crossings and even on off-camber junctions. They are like black ice when wet. One touch of the front brake and over you go.
We haven’t got much of this
We haven’t got much of this sort of thing round here, but there are square small granite cobbles (as in the main picture) making up the speed bumps on my small estate. They are bad when wet, but this morning there was the hard ice in the gaps which is usual in these conditions- doesn’t affect drivers, and I’m virtually the only cyclist around here. I have to walk over them.
It seems to me that speed
It seems to me that speed bumps do little or nothing to slow down cars but are a great inconvenience or even danger to cyclists. Am I the only one who thinks this?
No, you’re not the only one.
No, you’re not the only one. You see them speed-slaloming around the Sainsbury’s exit road here, and that has 2 90 degree bends close together- this would be an excellent design were it not for Lancashire drivers.
People willingly drive up
People willingly drive up kerbs that are 15-20cm high, they don’t care about what speed bumps might do to their vehicles at speed, even before half of them seem designed these days to pose no obstacle threat to vehicles at all.
We had a raised crossing on a major road nearby, put in after a kid was killed by a speeding motorist. It was designed to slow people down, but every 9months or so the council had to repair the crossing due to the gouges in it caused by motorists hitting it at such speed they were literally grinding the road surface away with the underneath of their cars.
In the end the council gave up fixing it and halved the height of the crossing.
Speeding has gone back up of course but the crossing doesn’t have to be fixed all the time.
Taunton slider?
Taunton slider?