Traffic on Hibbert Lane

[My login is Henrietta]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The problem is exacerbated by the "pattern" of the traffic and crossing lights on Stockport Road, between the Hollins and the Co-op!!!! And not helped by the idiots using the Church Lane/ Hibbert Lane junction, who don't know, or have forgotten, the procedure for negotiating traffic roundabouts.

And won't it be fun when the "Willows" housing development is fully occupied by families with one, two, and in some cases, three cars!

Rant off.

[CllrGeoffAbell]

Funnily enough, no-one parks in the bus stop on the Stockport-facing side.  (Please don't anyone reading this do that to prove me wrong!)
That photo is just one idea of how to make Stockport Road more pleasant and to join places in Marple either side of the road.  I know realise how unpleasant it is walking along Stockport Road where there are 3 lanes of traffic.
Marple is a nice place but could absolutely be made better. 

[andrewbowden]

Likewise, in the larger version of the image are they seriously suggesting a bus stop in the carriageway? A lay-by is still surely required by the Hollins shops, though hopefully not as large as the current one, which is often just mostly taken up by lazy folk in private cars. (Why is this never policed?)

Reminds me of a time I was waiting for the 358 to Hayfield.  The layby was full so someone had decided to stop in the bus stop...

Now the 358 tends to have a few minutes rest when it gets to Marple.  And the bus stop was full of a car that shouldn't be there.  So what could the bus driver do other than stop in the middle of the road.  For five minutes.  I don't think the bus driver was very popular, but it was hardly his fault.

[rsh]

The vision certainly has a simplistic elegance and I’m glad they’ve put it out there, if only to make any push from Stockport MBC to widen junctions or add more traffic lights look utterly ridiculous.

Although people complain about queues through Poynton, it has absolutely transformed that village space from a “road” to a defined “place”. That could psychologically divert some traffic itself from considering this just a through-route to race through.

It’s clear the short gap and short timing between the Hibbert Ln/Hollins Ln lights isn’t working these days. Two mini roundabouts wouldn’t magically make the traffic go away either, but could make it flow more continuously. It should definitely be looked into. It’d also remove the bizarre slalom by the swimming pool where you have to swerve across the road into parked cars after crossing the junction!

One thing I’ve disliked about Poynton as a pedestrian is the “free for all” of crossing the road. You’re meant to be able to step out wherever, which is a noble idea, but still scary in reality. This Marple idea looks better, then, that the crossing points are still very defined. But would the main Market Street crossing really work with people crossing continuously, not by lights? Even as someone who wants to see the balance addressed, we still need to allow for some movement of vehicles...

Likewise, in the larger version of the image are they seriously suggesting a bus stop in the carriageway? A lay-by is still surely required by the Hollins shops, though hopefully not as large as the current one, which is often just mostly taken up by lazy folk in private cars. (Why is this never policed?)

In fact, since the road is pretty much three lanes wide here, why not also finally provide a lay-by on the Trinity Street side with the stops staggered to use the available space? It’s the buses having to block the road as much as anything which make that area a nightmare.

Good first step though...

[ringi]

To begin with a qualify footpath from Asta with nice crossing points connecting to the current crossing on Stockport Rd would help.     There is nothing nice about walking form Asta to Stockport Rd.

The current shopping centre (Market St) needs a revamp including making it nice and removing the steps at all the shop doors.   I expect some of the other small shops in Marple should be converted into homes, so the empty units (and many charity shops) get transformed into shops worth going to.   We have more empty shops then we need in Marple, so let's get all the interesting shops into the same area.

[ringi]

When thinking about Poynton, remember they may be getting a bypass in a few years time, that will then make the twin roundabouts a lot more sensible.    At that point, an enforced 20 mph zone may work well for Poynton as it would get most traffic to use the bypass.

[Blackfryers]

Well done to the Civic Society for having a vision of what Marple could look like and putting it out there to start a discussion. Otherwise as traffic grows, Stockport highway engineers will nick more and more space, and put up a forest of expensive traffic lights so that more cars can go faster. Forget Poynton (this is a rather odd scheme), there are hundreds of other main streets in Britain (mostly in the south of England), Germany and The Netherlands that have been changed so that both traffic can get through, but people shopping and visiting have a better experience. None of these places are 'anti-car'. They just realise that there is a different way of doing things that improves the quality of life for everyone, including motorists.

[PhilB]

just going back to the civic proposal which mimics poynton. Looks very nice with minimal cars!!  Also block paving = sunk and uneven after 12 months!

[ringi]

I expect there are only two real solutions.

• Road pricing so people pay every time they drive anywhere
• Or improve the parking, timetable and cost of getting a train from Newmills AND Rebuilt the A6 in High Lane / Dislay so it becomes a free-flowing road, ideally making it a high-quality road from Whaley Bridge to the new road.

[tonyjones]

One of the main problems with the centre of Marple is the volume of traffic passing through to New Mills.

There is a high number of BIG lorries going towards New Mills despite the signs saying there is a weight limit 1.5 miles down the road and no access to the A6. They can't all be going to and from the Disley paper mill.

Who is responsible for policing the above.  Stockport, Cheshire East, or High Peak.

[Steve Gribbon]

Does this mean you think there is a role for unelected unaccountable bodies to push their views on the rest of us.

No 'wheels', it means that someone invited me to listen to an idea then I would do for 2 reasons: 1. I am all for listening to suggestions and enjoy discussion; and 2. I live in the area and want to hear what people say, I think it would be rude and ignorant of me if I declined an invitation. This is the same for anyone who contacted me, and it has been that way since I began my Councillor campaign.

I hope this satisfies your question?

Kind regards

Steve Gribbon

[wheels]

Does this mean you think there is a role for unelected unaccountable bodies to push their views on the rest of us.

[Steve Gribbon]

Hello all who read this

With regards to the Civic Society and their plan for the Town centre, I met with Gillian from the group this week to have a look a look at the plans and discuss. On a personal note I liked the idea of lessening the physical split in the 2 main shopping areas due to Stockport Road dividing them, I also liked the thought of getting people over the road in a potentially safer manner. Of course there are issues that need further research and challenge though, truck deliveries into businesses, costings and ensuring it will definitely improve where we live as examples.
On a view as a Councillor candidate and resident, I think that this has opened debate and allowed people to air their views which I think is excellent, as it would be with any proposal that promotes ideas to improve where we live.
I will be putting some of the pictures up at my 'meet and greet' at Marple fire station this coming Sunday afternoon with the facility to suggest and comment on areas you like/dislike. 

Kind regards

Steve Gribbon

[Dave]

I'm no fan of the Civic Society (far from it), but I think this is a very welcome proposal. Our town centre is an ugly mess, with buildings from the worst period of British architecture (the Hollins, M&Co, and many others)  Not a lot can be done about that, but this kind of imaginative redesign could at least make it more liveable-in and mitigate the dominance of vehicles over pedestrians.

The comparison with Poynton doesn't really stand up. The problem at Poynton is not Park Lane, it's the two pseudo-roundabouts at the junction with the main road.   No-one knows what to do there, and near-misses are common.  If the Poynton scheme had just been confined to Park Lane it would have been fine.

But this proposed Marple 'shared space' scheme, as far as we can tell from the image and plans, is only on Stockport Road, with two junctions (Hollins Lane and Hibbert Lane) that will be much simpler than the notorious cross roads at Poynton.

[SHG]

Replacing the roundabout at the Hibbert Lane/Church Lane junction with traffic lights make no sense! 
The whole point of a roundabout is to allow the flow of traffic, putting in traffic lights will hold up the the higher level of traffic with no certainty that the lane with the green light will be queuing with cars, therefore increasing congestion.
My bet would be putting a round about Hibbert Lane/Stockport Road and Hollins Lane/Stockport Road would allow smoother flowing of traffic through the area.