* The front cover of the consultation document.
The county council has revealed more details of its plan
to promote active travel in the centre of Llangollen in
the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
And it says that as part of the scheme it aims to use Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to suspend the parking bays on
Castle Street.
However, the council has moved to reassure local
people they will be consulted before any scheme is put in place.
The Welsh Government has provided funding for local authorities to
introduce measures aimed at helping people to maintain social distancing in
public places, and to encourage residents to walk and cycle safely.
The funding allows councils to bring in temporary measures to support
this.
Schemes are in mind for Llangollen, Denbigh, Ruthin and Rhyl
Following criticism that it was not giving enough details of the schemes,
the council has now issued a consultation document detailing what is in mind in
each case.
Entitled Local Sustainable Transport Response to Covid-19: Proposals for Llangollen, this says: “We are proposing to create improved shared
space for pedestrians and cyclists in key areas of Llangollen.
“This
will be through the installation of temporary ‘Lane Defender’ systems in the
following locations:
• Abbey
Road, from the area outside Llangollen Railway Station to the Castle Street
bridge
•
Castle Street, from Parade Street to Market Street
•
Castle Street, approximately 70% of the length from the Market Street junction
to the A5 (Berwyn Street)
Additional
proposals include:
• The
closure of the link road between Hall Street and Berwyn Street (A5)
•
Reversing the direction of flow of vehicles on Church Street
The
proposals will allow us to:
• Widen
pavements in areas where they are narrow, to facilitate social distancing
•
Create shared space for pedestrians and cyclists
•
Prevent the use of a key pedestrian route (Bridge Street and Church Street) as
a ‘rat run’
•
Support some pubs, cafes and restaurants on Castle Street and Abbey Road to
create outside seating areas for their customers
•
Encourage and support commuters, residents and tourists to choose active travel
(walking or cycling) as their main means of getting around town.”
The document adds: “The pavements in Llangollen are
narrow and the volume of traffic means that pedestrians and road users can be
in almost constant conflict during the high season.
“With the requirement to ensure that social distancing
can be maintained, it is an unacceptable risk to require pedestrians to step
into a busy A-road.
“Comments received both directly to the council
and circulated locally on social media groups have highlighted comments from
within the Llangollen community that the existing parking bays cause traffic
flow issues as pedestrians and cyclists are forced around the cars and into the
road at peak times.
“We would like to take this opportunity to see if the
social distancing measures can actually improve traffic, cyclist and pedestrian
flows through the town centre.
“We are also aware that there is an increased emphasis on
providing safe and welcoming outdoor spaces for people to spend time.
“Llangollen has a number of pubs, cafes and restaurants
along the route of the proposed changes who may like to provide outside seating
for their customers.
“Where it is practicable to do so, we would like to work
with and support these businesses to make these changes."
And on the controversial issue of removing parking spaces along Castle Street, it says: “We will be using
Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to suspend the parking bays, and
we will be using temporary “lane defender” equipment to make the new widened
shared use space for pedestrians and cyclists.
“This equipment will be bolted down and can be installed
quickly, and easily removed in the future.
“If the scheme (or a modified version of it) goes ahead,
we will be monitoring the impact of the temporary measures in close detail over
the next 18 months.
“This will include using some technology to monitor
things like traffic flows, speeds, pedestrian flows and air pollution.
“We will also be collecting feedback from the community
of Llangollen and reviewing this on a regular basis to monitor how residents,
businesses and visitors feel about the ongoing impact of the temporary
measures.
“Once we have considered the feedback we receive, we will
discuss this with the Llangollen County Councillors and make a final decision
on whether to proceed with the scheme.”
In a statement issued late yesterday evening, the council says: "Denbighshire County Council wishes to reassure
residents and businesses in Denbigh, Llangollen, Ruthin and Rhyl that no
final decision has been taken on draft proposals to encourage active travel in
these towns during the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, and that residents and
businesses are warmly invited to have their say.
"Plans have been drawn up for four of the county’s towns and many people have
shared their views on social media and other platforms about the
proposals.
"The council will be consulting with town businesses and
residents on the proposals before making a final decision."
Councillor Brian Jones, Cabinet Lead Member for
Waste, Transport and the Environment, said: “Keeping people safe is a key
priority for the council and the council believes the proposed measures will
help people feel safe when visiting our town centres and encourage them to stay
longer. I would therefore encourage business and residents to take part in the
consultation period that is now underway."
