A164 Jock's Lodge roadworks south of Beverley

Group waiting to cross busy A164

There are significant roadworks taking place south of Beverley on the busy Hull Bridge Road (A164). They will take 2 years to complete, and in the process disrupt a much-used cycle path created about 15 years ago.

We contacted East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) Highways Dept to raise our concerns, and as a result had a meeting onsite with a representative of GRAHAM, the contractors doing the work.

Three of us, Chris Leach, Roger England and I met with Dan Cawthra of GRAHAM contractors.

We walked the length of the cycle route between the present traffic lights at Jock's Lodge, through to Lazaats.

Cyclists will need to cross at Dunflat Lane (the road into Bentley which is only available to local and agricultural traffic) from the West side of the A164 to the East, then proceed along past Lazaat's and Cottingham Parks Golf course, then head in towards Cottingham, turning right at Mill Lane, past the water reservoir and across the A164 on the bridge through to Skidby Mill.

Alternatives are:

Avoid A164 altogether by

using Shepherd's or Long Lane, then either off-road to the substation and into Cottingham past the back of the Lawns, or continue down Long lane and onto the cycle track alongside Hull Road (A1174) down to Dunswell and on to the big roundabout on the A1079. OR
head out on Cartwright Lane across the Westwood to the Walkington traffic lights from where you can go down to Bentley, (or turn off for Risby) OR continue through Walkington, turn left after the village and on to Little Weighton, then left up the hill and into Skidby.

Including our return, walking the route involved crossing the A164 a total of 4 times, and negotiating brambles and hawthorns across the path along the way. We also met and spoke to two or three cyclists using the route for real that day, crossing the traffic on their routes. So Dan got a few extra unsolicited comments.

Dan was thoughtful and sympathetic, and he will be writing up some minutes from the meeting, of which we will get a copy.

I am personally reassured that the final result will be well-designed and fit for purpose, and partly assured that the interim arrangements would yet be improved.

Quite unprompted, Dan did suggest the possibility of a lights-controlled crossing where the central refuge used to be between the carriageways at Dunflat Lane, which all agreed would be a good improvement.

If you'd like some bedside reading the attached are copies of my letter and ERYC's reply, along with the Government's Planning Advice and guidance on what any design should be following. Note this is guidance and good practice and not legally binding on councils and Highways. It is worth looking at section 10 in particular on crossings and junctions.

Dan also asked if we supported any charities, to which I replied that individually we did, and that C-UK itself is a charity. GRAHAM can and do their own fundraising and can channel this local to where they are working so if you have a pet project he might be able to help support it.

ERYC project manager (Andrew Humphrey) has a desk just next to where Dan is based and clearly they work closely together.

Much more information on the works can be found at this website: https://www.a164jockslodge.co.uk/ and you can also sign up from that website to receive updates on progress.

I'll keep you posted with any developments.

Dave Berger (EYCTC Secretary)