Second CAMSFC / ASDA Consultation [28 - 29 September 2012]

[alstan]

Hi Sleepless, it’s me again. The timing of the march was presumably chosen by MIA and was, I suppose, the time most convenient to their members. More to the point, the 1000+ march was in mid August, during the school holidays, when a large part of the potential support would inevitably have been away so I think it quite valid to argue that a march at 1.00pm at the end of September might well attract more support than a march at 2.00pm in mid August but it didn’t.

[Dave]

I didn't write any of that.  Please don't misquote me!  

I've modified the quote so it credits the originator of the text referred to - Admin

[sleepless]

But there were so few of them on the march, just over 100. A year ago they were turning out 1000+ to a march and this was a short one on a decent day with plenty of notice and an appeal for support.
Have to look at latest news or the next newsletter for an explanation.

1.00pm is not a good time for many people, especially families - it's lunchtime for one thing, and people who are going out for the day have already left long before 1pm.  It doesn't mean the opposition is flagging.

[Blossom]

unless Aldi gets the gig at Chadwick Street!

I would be very happy if that was the case!

And me.

[JMC]

unless Aldi gets the gig at Chadwick Street!

I would be very happy if that was the case!

[elpram]

I know a lot of people who would use the new Asda and therefore not travel to Hyde or Stockport. I am sure this will be the case for many.

Not everyone travels even that far for a proper stock up! We are a family of 5 and I go to Aldi at Romiley or Hazel Grove for the bulk then pick up other bits in Marple and at the Co-op. If Asda is to be around the same size as the Hazel Grove one, I will probably stick to my current pattern (parking at Co-op as it's handy for the other central shops), so it won't stop my journey out of Marple to shop at Aldi....unless Aldi gets the gig at Chadwick Street!

Of course, even if I changed to Marple Asda, I would still have to drive up Stockport Road and Hibbert Lane to get there too, so I would also be increased inbound traffic Confusing stuff!

[JMC]

There are claims that it will reduce traffic as Ringi said. I understand concerns from residents in the areas around the college site but would they be so against the Asda if it wasn't in their immediate vicinity? I am not sure many would as it seems few people like the co-op for main shopping. I know a lot of people who would use the new Asda and therefore not travel to Hyde or Stockport. I am sure this will be the case for many.

[Cyberman]

I can’t see many people using Stockport Rd and Hilbert Ln to get to the new supermarket

How else would you get to the proposed ASDA apart from Hibbert Lane? Or do you think people would walk - I don't think that would be the case. Most people doing a big shop use their cars. I wish what you suggest is true, but most folks I've talked to combine their shopping trip with another journey - e.g. returning form work, as I do. So it wouldn't cut total journeys much.

The roads I mentioned - especially on the Edwards Way side - affect a lot of residents.

[ringi]

Reduced traffic leaving Marple to go shopping elsewhere is a real possibility; a good supermarket in Marple could reduce the number of time I drive out of Marple to go shopping.   So if you care about the environment and reducing trophic overall, rather than being only concerned about as few roads (that lots of vocal people live on), then the new supermarket looks like a good thing.

I can’t see many people using Stockport Rd and Hilbert Ln to get to the new supermarket as they will have better options elsewhere after all, it will be a very small/basic supermarket.   However any reduction in traffic on Stockport Rd and Hilbert Ln will be outside of peak times for these roads, so will not give match benefit.

[Cyberman]

I have serious reservations about CAMSFC/ASDA's traffic survey. At the second exhibition, they had diagrams depicting before and after ASDA scenaria for the a.m. and p.m. rush hour. I live very close to this area. Can't comment on a.m. as I'm away before the rush, but their p.m. analysis is WAY OUT. They showed minor queues along Hibbert Lane towards Stockport Rd at the moment, a few cars at the roundabout and at the lights. After ASDA the queues were predicted to be much larger - 10 or 20 cars (going from memory here - wish I'd noted true figures). However now at 5:00 ish the traffic on Hibbert Lane is frequently solid all the way past the roundabout, to past Lyme Grove. Thankfully most drivers are sensible and don't block the roundabout, so you can still drive up Church Lane.

This traffic will obviously be worse if ASDA materialises, and I don't see how changes to the Church Lane /Hibbert Lane junction will help, as the bottleneck is Stockport Rd. There will be increased use of rat-runs using Edwards Way, Brindley Ave, Lyme Grove and Willow Grove. In summary - BAD NEWS for residents round these areas - residents who will also have to contend with HGVs operating till late in the evening.

Sorry for the long post but this has to be said!

[alstan]

.  

It was very considerate of MIA supporters to wear big placards round their necks, which helped the rest of us to avoid them.  

But there were so few of them on the march, just over 100. A year ago they were turning out 1000+ to a march and this was a short one on a decent day with plenty of notice and an appeal for support.
Have to look at latest news or the next newsletter for an explanation.

[Belly]

Actually, as my lengthy conversation with the ASDA man responsible for the traffic modelling confirmed, funneling traffic up Church Lane is precisely what they are proposing.

I think what you'll find that they have modelled some traffic to the supermarket using this route, as it is impossible to stop people using it. It won't be a signed route to ASDA. Traffic will find its natural route - I live near the store and I don't typically use Church Lane unless the green arrow is avaiable at the lights, in contrast my wife usually does, to avoid the lights at the baths. Horses, for courses. You certainly can't 'funnel' traffic up Church Lane.

The lights at Church Lane roundabout, however, will provide the ability to SMBC, should they so desire it, to throttle back the capacity to re-enter Hibbert Lane at this point, should it be decided that the lower section of Church Lane should be protected - therefore creating a queue and encouraging rat-runners to stay on the main road. I would anticipate that SMBC will alsk for a range of sensitivity tests to be carried out to understand the effects of different proportions of ASDA traffic using either Church Lane or Stockport Road. Ultimately if the store was to go ahead I would guess this would be monitored and over time, the best signal settings would be derived.

Either way, it doesn't explain why the Texaco junction is predicted to operate 15% better with the supermarket than without it, which was what, in particular, caused my eyebrows to shoot up.

[Steptoe and Son]

Actually, as my lengthy conversation with the ASDA man responsible for the traffic modelling confirmed, funneling traffic up Church Lane is precisely what they are proposing.

[Belly]

Interesting event yesterday at the college.  The plans for the new college scheme at Buxton Lane, and the supermarket on Hibbert Lane, were much as expected, but there was some new material which I found quite interesting, including maps of Marple with projections of traffic movements at the various junctions.  Some of them were surprising - for example, a reduction in traffic movements projected at the Hibbert Lane/Stockport Road junction, attributed to fewer drivers heading out of Marple to shop. 
)

The reduction in traffic on Hibbert Lane/Stockport Rd is because Asda are proposing to funnel traffic up Church Lane...lets not try to paint the picture that this development will reduce traffic in Marple.

Actually they are not proposing that at all......

but i must say i found the traffic reductions at some locations supercially difficult to swallow. I will be reading the supporting Transport Assessment to the planning application with interest. I suspect a lot of it will be based on the retail studies of just where Marple shoppers currently shop and just as importantly, when. The PM peak hour on a weekday? Really?

[Steptoe and Son]

Interesting event yesterday at the college.  The plans for the new college scheme at Buxton Lane, and the supermarket on Hibbert Lane, were much as expected, but there was some new material which I found quite interesting, including maps of Marple with projections of traffic movements at the various junctions.  Some of them were surprising - for example, a reduction in traffic movements projected at the Hibbert Lane/Stockport Road junction, attributed to fewer drivers heading out of Marple to shop. 
)

The reduction in traffic on Hibbert Lane/Stockport Rd is because Asda are proposing to funnel traffic up Church Lane...lets not try to paint the picture that this development will reduce traffic in Marple.