Methlick Turning Area Proposal

Please view the proposal currently being explored to accommodate a bus turning area in Methlick and to seek feedback from the Community prior to progressing to a more detailed design and delivery of this facility.

Background

There is currently an informal arrangement within Methlick for buses to turn at Beaton Hall. Over time, the combination of buses and regular traffic using the car park facility/private access road has inevitably introduced surface degradation resulting in financial pressures with regards to maintenance of the car park. The deteriorating surface condition has impacted on the operator, with damage to the vehicles caused by potholes. This has resulted in escalating costs to the bus operator, with a negative impact on vehicle availability and disruption to the daily bus service.

Council Officers have explored various options to locate an alternative “fit for purpose” bus turning area in Methlick. This exercise resulted in Officers selecting Laird’s Cricket Ground as the most practical solution to deliver this facility.

Proposal

The site comprises a triangular shaped area of undeveloped ground lying between Main Road and the B9005/B9170 close to the centre of the village which currently forms part of Laird’s Cricket Ground. The drawing below displays the draft proposal which consists of a bus road bordered by landscaping.

To view a detailed plan open, the file Methlick Turning Circle Plan in the menu.

Buses access the facility from Main Road turning right into the facility and then making a right turn onto B9005/B9170 to head back to the Village Centre

The bus road will be bordered by a Wildflower Meadow. This will consist of a 2m wide landscaped border to the north of the road and a small garden to the south of road. The garden will include a gravel footpath and bench seating.

To allow for safe and efficient bus movement, parking restrictions will need to be introduced, these are denoted by the yellow lines. It is estimated that this will prevent a potential of 7 cars parking along the road edge.

Vehicle Parking

Officers have explored an option of including parking spaces within the facility but it will not be possible to incorporate parking into this area of land as the introduction would create potential for conflict between buses and other vehicles. In addition, there is limited space available to form a suitable junction with sightlines and visibility splays not achievable. It would not be practical to form a separate access point to a car parking area either as the junction for the bus turn is already as close to the Main Rd/B9170 junctions as we can make it to comply with Roads Standards.

There is some mitigation presented by available parking to the rear of Costcutter and there are also potential parking spaces to the north and south of the area affected by the restrictions.

This consultation is being conducted with support from our service partners

Watermill Coaches

Stagecoach Bluebird

Methlick Community Council

Please give your views on the proposal using the survey below. The survey will take a few minutes to complete.