Accrington Web - View Single Post - Outside the Town Hall to be open to traffic

gynn · 18-04-2011, 15:56

Coun Britcliffe said restoring the road access would ‘open up a major artery in the town’. He said: “Traffic is directed away, instead of being encouraged in towards the shopping areas.”

I don't understand this. The only trafficthat would go through the "major artery" in front of the Town Hall must have come into town along Blackburn Road. Once it's through the major artery, its stuck at the junction of Peel Street, Church Street and Blackburn Road. It can't turn left into Peel Street or it will be in the middle of the bus station. If it is allowed to turn right into Church Street it will be channelled away from the town centre, so the only option is to continue up Blackburn Road to Abbey Street and back onto the one way system. From there, the only place to head for is the Arndale Car Park if you want to visit the town centre shops.

Which you could have done by turning left into Oxford Street before entering the major artery.

The whole redevelopment of Accrington Town Centre over the last twenty years has evolved around the pedestrianisation of the area in front of the Town Hall, and the only reason for letting traffic to use that space has been to cater for buses wanting to get from Blackburn Road to the Bus Station, and for motorists wanting a sneaky short cut through the town centre from west to east.

Opening it up won't make any difference to the town centre shops.

18-04-2011, 15:56	#27
gynn Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 1,136 Liked: 10 times Rep Power: 4983	Re: Outside the Town Hall to be open to traffic Coun Britcliffe said restoring the road access would ‘open up a major artery in the town’. He said: “Traffic is directed away, instead of being encouraged in towards the shopping areas.” I don't understand this. The only trafficthat would go through the "major artery" in front of the Town Hall must have come into town along Blackburn Road. Once it's through the major artery, its stuck at the junction of Peel Street, Church Street and Blackburn Road. It can't turn left into Peel Street or it will be in the middle of the bus station. If it is allowed to turn right into Church Street it will be channelled away from the town centre, so the only option is to continue up Blackburn Road to Abbey Street and back onto the one way system. From there, the only place to head for is the Arndale Car Park if you want to visit the town centre shops. Which you could have done by turning left into Oxford Street before entering the major artery. The whole redevelopment of Accrington Town Centre over the last twenty years has evolved around the pedestrianisation of the area in front of the Town Hall, and the only reason for letting traffic to use that space has been to cater for buses wanting to get from Blackburn Road to the Bus Station, and for motorists wanting a sneaky short cut through the town centre from west to east. Opening it up won't make any difference to the town centre shops.