Consultation:
E4 Exeter cycle route
Our consultation for the sections of the E4 cycle route between Pinhoe Road to Exhibition Way and the proposed cycle and pedestrian bridge across Summer Lane opened on Monday 15 October and closed on Monday 19 November.
You can read the consultation report here.
Background
The County Council is progressing the construction of the E4 cycle route. The first 1km section has already been finished along Cumberland Way and plans have been drawn up for the remaining sections.
When complete, the 5km route will link the east of Exeter (Redhayes pedestrian/cycle bridge across the M5) with Exeter parks, leisure centres, schools, supermarkets, Exeter Arena, Exeter University and the city centre.
The design of the route is ambitious, and the cycle route will be direct and largely uninterrupted, segregating pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles where possible.
The proposals
The following plan presents an overview of the sections of the E4 cycle route.
The first phase of the route has been completed and opened (Section 11 in the attached plan).
Proposals connecting Pinhoe Road to Exhibition Way are presented in this consultation (Section 10 in the overview plan).
At Exhibition Fields and Betty’s Mead playing fields, the route remains a shared path. Improvements will be made to the existing path surface and the path will be widened to 3.5 metres.
These schemes for Exhibition Fields and Betty’s Mead Playing Fields were approved by the Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) in July 2018 and it is intended that these sections will be constructed by end of March 2019 (Sections 6.7,9 in the attached plan).
A new cycle and pedestrian bridge across Summer Lane is also included in this consultation (section 8 in the attached plan).
Pinhoe Road to Exhibition Way (section 10 of the E4 overview plan)
Proposals for this section of E4 route will largely replicate the initial stretch built along Cumberland Way and will connect to it at Pilton Lane, with the path along Pinhoe Road having a priority crossing across Bakers Way.
There will be a cycle specific signal-controlled crossing east of the junction with Exhibition Way, similar to the one at Barnfield Road in the city centre. The existing toucan crossing on Pinhoe Road, with refuge island, will remain.
The cycle route along Exhibition Way will be widened to become a 2.5 metre – 3 metre wide bi-directional path with a 0.5 metre buffer segregating the cycle route form the road – similar to the existing layout on Cumberland Way.
The image below illustrates what a typical cross-section of the road will look like. Cyclists and pedestrians will have priority to cross at all road and vehicle access crossings.
A separate pedestrian path will be retained on the eastern side of the cycle route, and a footway will remain on the western side of Exhibition Way.
It will be necessary for the large tree near the Aldi junction to be removed, along with a smaller tree on the other side of Exhibition Way, so that the cycle route can be constructed, and pedestrians and cyclists can safely be given priority at sides roads. A landscaping scheme, including the planting of new trees, is being developed which will mitigate for the loss of these trees.
Parking will be rearranged at the northern end of Exhibition Way, and where car parking spaces are next to the bi-directional cycle route, the buffer will be one metre wide to prevent car doors from opening into the cycle route.
Pedestrian cycle bridge across Summer Lane (section 8 in the E4 overview plan)
We would also like to invite comments on plans for a 20 metre span pedestrian and cycle bridge to connect Eastern Fields with Betty’s Mead Playing Fields.
The construction of this bridge is essential to remove a pinch point in the route which includes the steep, narrow path on Summer Lane.
A total of four trees will be removed to construct the bridge. Similar to the Exhibition Way and sections through Exhibition Fields and Betty’s Meads Playing fields, a landscaping scheme which includes the planting of new trees is being developed.
The benefits
Improved cycle infrastructure will make cycle trips for work, education and leisure purposes easier, quicker and more appealing.
The development of the Exeter E4 cycle route in particular is driven by large housing and employment developments to the east of the city, like Monkerton, Cranbrook and Exeter Science Park.
However, the new cycle route will offer benefits to existing local residents and businesses.
The high-quality bi-directional cycle track proposed for Cumberland Way and Pinhoe Road will provide a very visible step change in cycle facilities in both Exeter and the county, setting a new standard for strategic cycle routes.
The final scheme designs will be discussed by our Cabinet in early 2019 and, if approved, we hope to construct the route during 2019.
Supporting documents
The documents below will be available by Monday 15 October.
- E4 overview plan
- Section 8 drawing – Summer Lane bridge
- Section 10 drawings – Pinhoe Road and Exhibition Way:
Have your say
Please email your comments to E4CycleRoute@jacobs.com