CONCERNED residents in Weymouth say a proposed cycle route through a quiet housing area would be a ‘disaster waiting to happen’.

The community at Belgrave in Southill are calling for Dorset County Council to rethink a proposal for a combined cycleway and footpath through their residential street, where children play in front of the houses on a quiet patch of greenery.

The residents say they are in favour of plans to extend the cyclepath from Chafey’s roundabout to Manor roundabout but believe it should all be kept along the bypass rather than cutting through the Belgrave area. Father-of-three Dave Roberts said: “Basically they’re going to extend the cycle path from Chafey’s roundabout to Manor roundabout, which is really, really good.

“What they’re proposing is doing up the bypass but one proposal is to come across the bridge from the Radipole walk and in front of Belgrave.

“They want to extend the footpath to make it a shared footpath and cycleway or to chop up the grass opposite.”

He added: “All the kids play out here and if there’s a cyclepath as well they won’t be able to safely.

“Some bikes go pretty quick.

“A shared cycle path in this area would be disaster waiting to happen. Every resident along here is opposing it.”

Mr Roberts, 54, who has two grown-up sons and a three-year-old daughter Louisa, described the grassland opposite the houses as a wildlife beauty spot and added: “If this bit of grass goes, it’s gone forever.”

Councillor David Harris, who represents the area, said: “I totally agree with the concerns. I arranged for the county council to share their early thinking about proposals for a cycle way from Chafey’s roundabout to Manor roundabout.

“We had a public meeting on September 26 and 100 people attended. The county at that time had no firm view as to what line the cycleway should take but are exploring options either side of the A354 Weymouth Way.”

He added: “I reminded residents that one of the proposals is to bring the cycleway close to the houses either using the present pavement or coming through the trees at the bottom of the green.

“But clearly now they’ve had time to reflect, they’re concerned and would not like to see that proposal coming forward.”

Coun Harris said he had passed on the residents’ concerns to the council officers, who were expected to present their latest proposals at a meeting in December.

A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “There are a number of options for this scheme of which this is one.

“We will consult on the project at a public exhibition.”

The public exhibitions will take place on December 12 at Emmanuel Church, Southill between 10am and 8pm and on December 13 at Beechcroft St Paul’s Primary School between 4pm and 7pm.

Road Crossing Scheme Set To Go On Display

PLANS to install crossings on a busy stretch of road in Weymouth which campaigners have labelled dangerous will be showcased at public exhibitions next month.

Dorset County Council is considering a number of improvements which include crossing facilities on the Weymouth Way.

A stretch of the road at Southill has been the subject of controversy for more than two years and more than 1,000 people signed a petition for a crossing.

In March this year, five-year-old Lily-Mae Jeffries was killed after a collision with motorbikes whilst crossing the road with her great-grandmother and siblings.

The proposals, which will be showcased on December 12 and 13, include a crossing between Chafey’s roundabout and Westham Crossroads, a crossing to the north of Chafey’s roundabout and building a cycleway from Chafey’s roundabout to Manor roundabout.

Campaigner Ian White said: “Councillor David Harris has done a lot to get the council to listen.

“I will be very interested to see what the actual plans are at the consultation, but from what I hear it is something quite spectacular.

“Making the road safer is all I’m interested in.”