By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Questions have been raised over the design of a new cycle path near Cheltenham Racecourse after a serious “near miss” involving a cyclist and turning vehicle heading to a new car boot sale.
Reg Daldry, who used to run the car boot in Gloucester, wants permission from Cheltenham Borough Council to use an existing parking site off the A435 Evesham Road north of the spa town for up to 14 days a year.
The 18-acre site is used for coaches visiting Cheltenham Racecourse and was the site of a car boot until 2014, according to Cheltenham Car Boot and Market’s planning application.
The car boot sales would take place on non-race days, as agreed with Cheltenham Racecourse only and would not involve any permanent operational development, documents submitted to the council read.
However, dozens of people have objected and Gloucestershire Highways officers are recommending refusal on safety grounds, saying conflict with the new Bishop’s Cleeve to Cheltenham cycleway is the critical issue.
One of their main concerns is that vehicles entering and exiting the site must cross the newly created two-way cycle path which is located on a downhill gradient, where cyclists may be travelling at moderate to high speeds.
The cycle path is part of Gloucestershire County Council’s plans for a 26-mile cycle spine with which they want to link Bishop’s Cleeve with Stroud via Cheltenham and Gloucester.
The project has cost around £50 million so far. And a recent meeting heard how hundreds of people use other sections of the route daily.
“Visibility between drivers and cyclists is constrained by vehicle geometry and blind spots, queuing traffic conditions, driver focus on identifying gaps in main carriageway traffic,” Gloucestershire Highways said in their formal response to the plans.
They also go on to say that drivers may fail to give way to cyclists travelling straight ahead, or stop across the cycleway, physically obstructing cyclist movement.
And a “serious near-miss incident” involving a cyclist and turning vehicle has been reported there, they said.
They also believe the use of marshals introduces “unpredictable control measures” and “encourages cyclists to stop or dismount unnecessarily”.
This scenario represents a high likelihood and high severity collision risk along with queuing traffic on the A435, they said.
“These conditions create a high risk of rear-end shunt collisions, with potential for serious injury.”
However, those behind the car boot which attracts thousands of buyers to the town, question the design of the cycle path as the existing parking site has been there and used for decades.
Reg Daldry said: “My planning consultant can’t believe that we are in discussions about this because [highways] are the ones that designed it,” he said.
“The car park has been there for 30 years. We just don’t understand it.
“Why would they design something if it was unsafe.
“It doesn’t make sense. Everyone’s scratching their heads.”
He said he has the support of some councillors and eight people have written in support of the plans.
“The car boot is wanted,” he said. “We are being supported by thousands of people. It’s good for the local economy and wellbeing.”
County Councillor Cheryl Agg (LD, Winchcombe and Woodmancote) says she fully supports the enterprise and wants to see it continue. However, she says access to the site is an issue.
Borough planners are yet to decide the application.
Gloucestershire County Council has been approached for further comment.