PEDESTRIANS FIRST! IS THIS POLICY WORKING?

Introduced by David McLaughlin of the CI:TE Team on 8 December 1998

The City Initiative: Transport & Environment (CI:TE) Team was formed to plan and introduce the changes proposed by the City Centre Team. Mr McLaughlin deputised for Jane McDermott, who was unable to attend, to introduce the Team‘s latest proposals following a period of consultation with interested parties and the public.
He explained on a map the ‘access cells’ into which the centre had been divided and where their entry points were located (see map, page 65). Only buses, taxis and special vehicles (refuse collection, emergency vehicles, etc.) will be able, by means of transponders fitted to the vehicles, to pass between different access cells, but all parts of the centre will be available to private cars and goods vehicles for delivery and collection.
Day-time on-street parking will be limited to 30 minutes except for orange badge holders, residents and cyclists.
A vigorous discussion continued for two and a half hours. One of the main points of contention was access to the Mineral Water Hospital and the Theatre Royal from the west, the entry point to the cell C, in which they are located, being North Parade Bridge.
The design of Cleveland Bridge junction is being changed to improve traffic and pedestrian flows, but it was considered the congestion on the ‘ring road’ from Cleveland Bridge to Churchill Bridge and then along Green Park Rd. and Charles Street would be increased.
The CI:TE Team’s plan will be presented to the Transportation sub-committee on 12 January 1999.
Don Lovell