Traffic study appeal hits target ... just in time

* Castle Street.

The deadline to raise £1,000 through a public appeal to pay for a survey into traffic conditions in the centre of Llangollen has been hit with just hours to spare.

The local Cittaslow group is backing a plan to take on traffic management specialists Hamilton Baillie Associates to carry out a study into how best to the handle conflicting traffic needs in the town – parkers, shopkeepers and pedestrians.

While a full blown survey by the firm which created a ground-breaking scheme for Poynton in Cheshire would be £10,000, Cittaslow has opted for a brief one-day appraisal costing just £1,000.

Town councillor Phil Thane fronted a public appeal to raise the cash and he revealed today (Tuesday) that the cash target had been hit just in time.
 

He said: “Today is deadline day for Cittaslow Llangollen's Crowdfunder appeal to raise £1,000 to pay for a review of all the issues affecting Castle Street.

“It's been a struggle at times explaining the issues and dispelling the idea that this was just another parking survey, but we got the message out and the town responded. The appeal reached the target with several hours to spare.

“Cittaslow Llangollen are meeting this evening, and one item for discussion is finding a date to get Ben Hamilton-Baillie to town to see what the issue are, and to present us with some possible solutions to consider.

“No-one pretends £1,000 is going to solve the problem, but getting an independent expert in might just kick-start some new thinking about an old problem.”

He added: “Everyone grumbles about Castle Street.

“Drivers in a hurry to get through would like all parking banned, pedestrians would like safe crossings, shopkeepers need to load and unload and want more parking for their customers, tourists want a pleasant place to stroll.

“At the moment we have the worst of all possible solutions, some legal parking, some illegal parking, double yellows down one side giving motorists the illusion of a clear road - until they meet a large vehicle coming the other way, and pedestrians running the gauntlet.

“The only good thing is that it's so chaotic the traffic is usually slow and there haven't been any serious accidents.

“We think it could be better, but it needs a new vision not just the county council putting down some more paint and harrassing shopkeepers.

“Poynton's problems were much worse than ours in Llangollen, and they've been fixed."