Nantwich Town councillors have agreed to plans for a “soft closure” of two key town centre roads for a day.
The idea to close Pillory Street and Hospital Street is to allow for studies on the impact it has on air pollution, local business and pedestrian footfall.
One councillor who backed it says it could “lead to permanent pedestrianisation” of the two one-way roads.
The idea for the soft closure has come from local environmental campaign group, Sustainable Nantwich.
Richard Senior told Nantwich Town Council they were “responding to public concerns about traffic and pollution in the town centre”.
The plan would be to close the two roads on Saturday May 31, from 9am until 4pm.
The “soft closure” means cars could still drive through and park in Church Lane car park, but there would be no parking along the two streets.
The scheme would cost around £1,000 to employ Dutton Traffic Management staff to carry out the closure.
Mr Senior said: “Sustainable Nantwich offers to support such a trial day, working with councillors and the community, discussing with and advising the public, gathering data and conducting surveys in order to inform future plans.”
Cllr Peter Groves urged caution in terms of the impact on potential loss of income for local businesses on the two roads for that day, and the lack of access to blue badge holders.
Town clerk Samantha Roberts said the “soft closure” means cars will still be allowed in to use the Church Lane car park.
She also added that all affected properties in and just off the roads would need to be notified, under legal requirements.
Mr Senior added: “It won’t impact on the evening when residents want to get to restaurants and takeaways, and we’ll be asking people to park on Church Lane to discourage street parking and on double yellow lines.”
Cllr John Priest said: “I’d support this, it’s wholly positive for the town. People can’t step into shops if they are driving, but can if they are on foot.
“It could help us move towards a solution that sees these two roads permanently pedestrianised.”
Other councillors backed it, saying a similar scheme happens in Shrewsbury on busy market days.
Town Council voted unanimously to support the scheme and provide up to £1,000 funding towards it.
(Pic by Google Maps)
If the Town Council & Cheshire East are bothered about pollution ask the drivers of Cheshire East vans that park on Morrisons every day eating & drinking to turn off the engines . Also seen in the unmade pull in on Eastern Road particularly in the afternoon waiting for knocking off time .
Last year I mentioned to a driver from CE on Morrisons as to why the engine was left running & the reply was I couldn’t give a F – – – it’s not my fuel I’m not paying for it .
I live in Nantwich, walk into town frequently, using both Pillory Street and Hospital Street. Traffic flows and volume are generally very low, and the majority of drivers apply a great degree of caution and demonstrate restraint. I would like the Town Council to provide the scientific evidence of the actual volumes of pollution to support their argument. There are people with disabilities who need their blue badges to get near to the shops they need. I am lucky and can leave the car at home and walk.
A reduced speed limit of 20mph in the Pillory Street and Hospital Street would be a good idea. I am sure that would cost more than a £1000.00 .
Please provide the evidence.
Nantwich town centre traffic management is a joke anyway, people park on double yellows wherever and whenever they want, parking officers are only interested if you’re parked 2mm over a parking bay in a car park or if you’ve gone over your paid for time by 40 seconds, they ignore any double yellow line parking as do the police
So don’t worry if a car park gets closed just park where you want no one cares!!
Haven’t the council got nothing else better to think about. What about deliveries to shops on a daily basis
Rather than trialing it in Nantwich look at the results for Crewe when Victoria Street was pedestrianised
Sustainable Nantwich Are claiming this is to gather data on the impact it will have on the air pollution in the town, so will they be present carrying out surveys at the time of this soft closure or are we just using climate change to push the town councils agenda on the advice from unqualified volunteers at “Sustainable Nantwich” If this was about the air pollution the pay and display car park would closed with the street. Nantwich town council is clearly being run by money wasting fools that have no idea on the impact this would have on local businesses.
Richard Senior told Nantwich Town Council they were “responding to public concerns about traffic and pollution in the town centre”…….. can we see these concerns or complaints as I would guess more people will be complaining about real issues in the town like the parking as stated above or the state of the roads around the town.
This is a pointless exercise! However, I will beat your quote by 10% and close the street for only £900.00
When can I start??
Where am I going to park my porsche when I have my saturday haircut and call into pockets?
Great idea, town I previously lived had same in town centre so much better.
Just ensure delivery companies now close and open times.
Good idea, but why pay £1000 pounds to manage it. Get a few council workers out the office for the day, no extra cost and use that to sort out the pavements!!!
There are no disabled parking spaces on Church Lane car park and only 2 on Bowling Green car park, where are disabled people going to be able to park within easy distance of the town centre. Some disabled people cannot walk very far at all.
Howard are you for REAL!! rumble strips are designed to slow you down, if your teeth are falling out clearly you are driving too fast!!
So Cheshire East will not close its car park in Church Lane for 33 cars for the day. Better to make it disabled parking only.
What about residential access?
It would help if it was also 10mph for the day. The junction of the two roads is difficult for pedestrians to cross at times.
Actually it sounds so soft it will be hard to see the difference from a farmers market day.
Has the council found some more money to waste ?
What a load of nonsense.
Utterly pointless.
Fabulous idea. Do it permanently.
I for one have total confidence in our elected members and senior officers with regards to traffic planning and management. Why, the Reaseheath bypass has only been growing weeds for four years now. Another triumph 😃
If Pillory & Hospital Steeet are pedestrianised then a long established business would close down . Lots of people park in both streets to nip into any of the shops why would you pay when you only need a few minutes to get what you need
Yet again Cheshire East at its best a ridiculous idea that will close down many shops in the whole if the town
£1000.00 for a few cones & barriers !!!!!!!
Good idea ….. If done properly.
More and more cars are being parked on pavements and double yellow lines in Nantwich than ever with little regard for pedestrians or other road users.
Will church st car park become a disabled car park ?
Nantwich has a pure lack of car parks for people who cant just walk in to the town.
Ridiculous waste of taxpayers money and will only harm town centre shops. How are people meant to get to car park behind the old Lamb? Typical Labour
The streets in question are mainly busy due to delivery’s and people using the takeaways in the evening ,think a total closure would be a disaster for the local businesses.
I think rather than close the roads it would be much better if they made the main roads in Nantwich a no-go zone for lorries and large vans. (Maybe even increasing the no-go to ALL vans/lorries during peak travel periods)
If the public are concerned then perhaps the better plan would be to close Beam street from Watetlode lights to the bus station.
This carries a greater weight of traffic that is also stationary with idling engines waiting for the lights to change.
It would also stop dangerous parking on the corners of Swine market at a busy times.
Seems little point on closing Pillory/Hospital Street if you still allow cars to use it to get to the car park.
Perhaps use the £1000 to plant some trees on Mill island that we can all enjoy
More of an issue is the rumble strips on approach to the roundabouts!
They are so over the top and destroys the cars suspension.
Are these to be ground down too ?