Construction work to enhance active travel and improve pedestrian safety on Fairfield Road, Dorchester, has been completed.
It is an important route for pedestrians moving around the town, it is the most direct, signposted route between the railway stations and the most direct route between Dorchester South station and the hospital.
With almost 600 spaces, Fairfield Car Park generates substantial levels of vehicular and pedestrian traffic along the road. Despite this constant, heavy use by pedestrians, the road had no dedicated pedestrian footway, with walkers and wheelchair-users forced to use the road.
The new footway has given pedestrians – particularly disabled people – a safe route between the car park and town centre amenities.
We are continuing to work with Dorchester Town Council to plan additional improvements for the pedestrianised eastern end to enhance the public realm, including planting and benches.
Funding
The access improvements were funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) through its Active Travel Fund. This supports schemes to improve conditions for people on walking, wheeling or cycling.
The funding was awarded specifically for this scheme, based on an assessment of which elements would achieve the most benefit, and the funding cannot be repurposed to somewhere else in Dorchester, or somewhere else in Dorset.