Fears traffic on busy Derby road could get worse over new bus lane plan

There are concerns traffic at one of Derby’s busiest roads could get worse and car parking spaces will be lost should a new bus lane be installed. Derby City Council has plans to create a new bus lane on a long stretch of Osmaston Road close to the city’s Spider Island. This stretch covers the road’s normally busy junction with Ascot Drive in Allenton.

The plan, if approved, involves widening the carriageway between the road’s junctions of Nightingale Road and Spider Island to accommodate a bus lane. The Labour-led city council says the aim is “to encourage an increase in journeys by low carbon, sustainable travel modes which in turn would help contribute to climate change objectives, reduce air pollution and improve public health”.

Council bosses also want the changes to help Increase the number of bus passengers across Derby and to improve bus journey times. Funding for the scheme will come from the Government through the National Bus Strategy: Bus Improvement Plan. However, it has not yet been disclosed publicly how much the work will cost.

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But Osmaston Road resident Roy Wooley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he fears the plans will not improve air quality or traffic in the area. Mr Wooley has sent the council a 20-page report detailing his and other residents’ concerns.

He explains in the report: “Many vehicles in congested traffic (at Osmaston Road) are idling, i.e. their engines are running, but they are stationary or moving very slowly. Idling vehicles produce more carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

“By removing buses from the general traffic flow, a bus lane creates space filled by other vehicles in congested traffic. Increasing vehicle numbers will increase harmful emissions. The impact of HGVs and other commercial vehicles should not be underestimated. These vehicles take up more space and take much longer to turn than a car.”

Mr Wooley also claimed dozens of car parking spaces could be lost by the proposals, adding to the increased congestion fears.

Councillor for the Osmaston Road area Alan Graves said residents and nearby businesses were against the plans and feared the possibility they may have to put up with it.

Councillor Graves said: “I haven’t met one person that agrees with it. But many people are upset about the potential implementation of the scheme.

“My party councillors (Reform Derby) are now concerned that this will be given the go-ahead through the Labour cabinet irrespective of local councillor and local resident’s views. Cllr Swan, the Labour cabinet member made a comment that it would make for a better connected and greener city. It couldn’t be further from the truth.

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“It will cause more congestion on a hatched area (where Ascot Drive meets Osmaston Road) something that currently isn’t policed, and the fumes from that congestion will get worse.”

But Carmel Swan, cabinet member for climate change and transport, said its plans for the road and a similar scheme on the A6 Duffield Road have been “well supported by our residents”.

Councillor Swan said: “The purpose of this consultation (and our role) is to listen to our communities. We are delighted by the responses on both the Osmaston Road and Duffield Road schemes, where approximately 1,100 responses have been received. We have found that this has been well supported by our residents.

“I am looking forward to reviewing the results of the consultation in full. It will take us at least one month to analyse and consider the responses.”

The public consultation closed on Sunday, October 27 but details of the proposal can be read on the Let’s Talk Derby website.

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