Some information on the effects of the proposed Park & Ride at Cambria Farm.

The proposed position of the Park and Ride at Cambria Farm, Junction 25 of the M5

Ruishton and Thornfalcon wish to draw attention to the grave concerns that they have regarding Somerset County Council's proposal to place a 1200 Park and Ride site at Cambria Farm at Henlade. Grave concerns regarding the specific site and also of the lack of regard to involving the community in this major planning proposal. This site will have a major impact on not only on the lives of the people living alongside the A358 but also on the users of the A358 and on the traffic in Taunton itself.

As a Parish Council we have major concerns about this proposal and the effect that it would have on the lives of the people living alongside the A358

As a Parish Council we have major concerns about this proposal and the effect that it would have on the lives of the people living alongside the A358, the effect it would have on the users of the A358 and the effect that it would have on the traffic in Taunton itself.

That the site proposed was deleted from the Local Plan by the Inspector of the Public Inquiry in to the Local Plan ref. Recommendation REC8/165, which was agreed by T.D.B.C.
That a Park and Ride constitute large-scale development under the Town and Country Planning Act and as such is contrary to the Local Plan Policies for a designated village.
That there is no policy to state that if a Park and Ride is established that the land should not be used for any other type of development.

A358 recognised as the busiest A road

That it is S.C.C,'s intention to access the Park and Ride from the A358, a road that is recognised as the busiest road in Somerset (bar the M5) and has operated at over capacity for years.
That the effect on traffic flows on the A358 by such a scheme would be disastrous. A Park and Ride could only operate in this area if accessed from the Government's planned Henlade bypass, which is unlikely to be built until 2018 at the earliest.

There is insufficient distance from the M5 roundabout to the proposed site

That S.C.C.'s intention is to use signalling to access the A358; we believe that this is both naive and unworkable. There is insufficient distance from the M5 roundabout to the proposed site of the traffic lights at the junction of Ruishton Lane with the A358 to hold today's traffic volumes let alone the inevitable traffic increases of the coming years plus the additional traffic directed from the M5 towards using the Park and Ride.

The Somerset Corridor Studies back in 2000 recognised the capacity problem of Junction 25

The Somerset Corridor Studies back in 2000 recognised the capacity problem of Junction 25 and acknowledged the fact that it will be unable to cope with the predicted traffic growth over the 11 year to 2011.

The strategy specifies that it should be considered only in conjunction with a bypass for Henlade

This proposal of a Park and Ride at Henlade may be in response to the Somerset Transport Strategy. However this strategy does not envisage a Park and Ride at Henlade to alleviate the present traffic problems of the A358 or of Junction 25 if the M5. The strategy specifies that it should be considered only in conjunction with a bypass for Henlade. As funding for a bypass has not been provided at present this Park and Ride must be found to be both premature and unsustainable.

The construction of a large scale Park and Ride on the edge of the Flood Plain will serve to increase the threat

The villages of Henlade and Ruishton lie in areas liable to flood, as can be seen by studying the Local Plan Maps. Ruishton suffered from flooding as recently as 30th October 2000 and when over 30 properties experienced internal flood damage and the Army having to be called in to rescue a number of elderly residents stranded in their homes. Homes which are in the centre of the village! The construction of a large scale Park and Ride on the edge of the Flood Plain will serve to increase the threat of flooding to the settlements as the run off from such a massive expanse of tarmac will flow straight into the Flood Plain.
It is recognised that the section of the A358 that runs through Henlade is the busiest road in Somerset. The proposed site of the Park and Ride will serve to further increase traffic on a section that is already at over capacity
Taunton is a Principal Urban Area and as such draws shoppers from areas both north and south along the M5, (see Somerset Transport Strategy for figures), therefore traffic wishing to access a Park and Ride at Henlade from the M5 will put further pressure on the A358 whose capacity is already exceeded at peak times.
The proximity of the site to Ruishton's main village gateway will seriously affect the villagers' access to their homes.
The restrictive width of the A358 through Henlade and the site's proximity to the Junction 25 Motorway roundabout would make both entering and exiting of a Park and Ride a motorist's (and a Highway Planner's) nightmare. No thought seems to be have given to this basic problem, at present no solutions have been put forward by any authority.

The Park and Ride site at Henlade will draw additional traffic onto the Motorway roundabout

The Park and Ride site at Henlade will draw additional traffic onto the Motorway roundabout, traffic which would otherwise have entered or exited directly into Taunton