Outside the Town Hall to be open to traffic
 

Accrington Town Hall traffic plan to boost trade (From Lancashire Telegraph)


yet another stupid plan from Uncle Fester?


what do you lot reckon?


i'm sure that road was open to traffic when i was little

Re: Outside the Town Hall to be open to traffic
 

Yes, it probably was Shaz.......it was certainly open to traffic when I was little.
And as for making a difference......well, a lot of cars use it now, even though it is only supposed to be buses.
I don't think it will make a great deal of difference, the truth is Accy is dying on its uppers........and most of the remedies proffered are too little and much too late.

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It's probably being done so they can create a drive-thru coffee stop outside the Market Hall

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i think its Festers last ditch attempt to look big before he gets kicked out

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That stretch of road , Broadway , Peel Street , and the whole of St James St used to be open to traffic . There were no one-way streets if I remember rightly . However the amount of traffic on the roads was way below what it is today .

I'm all for pedestrianised areas in town centres , and I can't see how opening this small stretch of road to all traffic will make a significant difference to trade .

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if anything it will stop trade, people won't want to be getting knocked over

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When they closed off the town centre to traffic, the part that is little Blackburn road suffered, no through traffic meant that the majority of people didn't go up there unless there was a place they wanted to visit.

The large out of town shopping areas have also meant the demise of many of Accringtons shops. I cana't think of anything that would breathe some life into the place.

Having said that, we went to Bury yesterday and the town centre of Ramsbottom was closed off for a chocolate festival...the place was throbbing.
Ramsbottom is only a lttle place with lots of independent shops......it always seems busy when we pass through it, so maybe we should ask them how they do it.

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Maybe it's because they don't have Britcliffe imposing his will on the yes-men in his political entourage.

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We popped down to Ramsbottom at lunch time, Bridge Street was closed to traffic, the town was heaving and must have taken a fortune,some photos here
Ramsbottom Annual Chocolate Festival 2011 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Nelson is putting the road back in but it's to late the town has died

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Doubt very much if it results n increase in trade, highly unlikely is my view, still will probably waste a bit more of the money they aint got.:rolleyes:

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The road closed in 1990, twenty one years ago.

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What happened to all those grandiose urban plans they exhibited the other year?

The ones which showed the wind tunnel that is the space in front of the Market and Town Halls, as a large square, with continental cafes, and fountains, which shot water up the jacksies of unsuspecting passerbys?

If this brings trade back, though how remains a mystery, should we get ready for Broadway to be de-pedestrianised in the near future?

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so if its going to be a propper road again are they going to fit kerbs and put the crossing back or just leave it as it is.

the problem with how it is now is that young children cant tell its a road because the pavement area looks so similar to the road area and theres nothing clearly defining the end of the pavement to the road.

if theres going to be 100x maybe more traffic going through that area teh chances of an accident are increased greatly especialy as people have been used to it been mainly pedestrian for so long

also the cost of any alterations at a time when money is so tight should be considered.

like lancs dave says are we to expect a drive through britcliff&Son hut at some point?

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you know somthing rindy since they pedestrianised broadway its been dug up and resurfaced more times than when it was a road with cars and wagons using it.It may work out cheaper in the long run to reopen it as a road lol

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if they did re-open broadway .. what would they do with all the steel 'furniture' on broadway .. take it to the scrapyard and weigh it in ... and bring back the wooden benches what they used to have .... or borrow some from the parks in the area ... would work out cheaper ....

Perhaps the town hall has had complaints from Tescos?
After all it must be annoying for them having all those HGV's driving on their street.
Far better to once again have them travelling along the main road.

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Too little too late, The Fat controller, britcliffe, really has lost the plot this time. This man is to the local Conservative council what Gordon Brown was to Labour in the dying days of his government.
The sooner he goes the better and he can take his son with him.

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This is going to confuse a lot of people as that area is always being blocked off when there is something on in town IE : food festival,remembrance day,royal weddings, Christmas, Accrington carnival,its going to spend more time closed than open anyway

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Has anyone else noticed the A4 pieces of paper that are covering the swinging signs (the ones on the floor) just outside the market hall? The original signs have been covered up to advertise festers sons cafe instead..... Sorry for the wander, if they do put the road back in use what difference will it make? I thought people had to get out of their cars to buy things, they won't just be able to park up outside shops so why re-open it?

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Read this news report for more info;
Temporary solution to rat-run problem | Accrington Observer - menmedia.co.uk

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That 'news' report is over six years old

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I see a theme begining to start here.

:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:

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Having slept on this, its probably being re-opened cos directly after there gonna open a car park in Market Hall (theres plenty of room) the car park will have a pedestrian exit right at the foot of the grand staircase.:D

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Our next contestant is bee, who's specialist subject is the Archives of Accrington Web, you have two minutes starting from now:D

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Lol

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I doubt if opening the road in front of the town hall will work because the road plan that the LCC put in place when it built the Haslingden byepass access roads means the town centre is isolated. The vehicles coming off the byepass via Burnley Road and Manchester Road are confined and directed along the flower decked Eastgate, shown the wonderful railway arches and are then released to travel freely westward. There's nothing at the Abbey Street junction to invite people to enter and if you blink you miss the town centre access road off the Black Bull bridge roundabout.

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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.

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Festers a pratt

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So what deluded clown has advised PB that this is a viable propostion?...or is it all his own idea?.......if it is, then someone should tell him he is a bird brain.

The whole of the town centre traffic flow would have to be re-thought/reconfigured to have any influence...and even if this were done it is doubtful that it would make an appreciable difference.......and if we can see this then why can't he?

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so this reopening of the road is to improve access to what exactly?

an amusments arcade, a charity shop and of course the town hall which just so happens to have a family member of the leader of the councils cafe in it.Not happy with closing the toilets down to increase foot traffic to the cafe traffic is now been redirected.( allegedly)

what next putting landmines on the doorsteps of rival cafes?

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Goodness me Accyman, don't give the guy ideas like that he might just think they are viable.:rolleyes:

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If councillor Britcliffe is interested in opening up major arteries, I'm surprised that none of you guys has suggested which ones he can work on next:rolleyes:

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I can think of a few Eric, trouble is they involve a sharp knife and a call to the emergency services.

Not that I would waste my time ringing them.

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I agree with you lot, stupid idea.

You get idiots thinking they are cool driving up and down town on streets that they can at the mo as fast as they can now so how long would it take for some-one to get knocked down on that stretch? Its too closed in.

Also were has Bee gone............:D

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going to apologise for this in advance...........buzzed off :D:D:D....well..... all the blossoms are out aren't they?

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.... he's combing the archives

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bee nice you lot :D

if not at least beehave :)

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I see the usual culprits can't help themselves and are tempted to drone on.:)

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Ouch.....I'm stung :D

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that issue could have been soved years ago with those automatic raising posts that bloack access to vehicles that shouldnt be using that part of road.Other places have them where buses and traders vehicles are issued a sensor that lowers the post upon nearing.Considering how much money has been blown on self indulence cost shouldnt have been an issue either.

If only the guy who designed accrington town centers traffic system had even had just a provisional licence things may have been better but alas a guy with no traffic experience apart from whathe saw from teh passenger seat or on his bike was allowed to play scalectrix with our town

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YouTube - Automatic Bollards

Yeah just think of the hours of fun watching idiots like these. :D:D:D:D

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that would attract mor epeople to town than opening up the road :D

has any figures been released showing the millions of new vivitors attracted to accy since the market hall downgrade ?

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Watching numpties like these certainly helps to pass the time when I'm stood outside M&S waiting for Mrs H. :D

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3,000 so we're told.

We aren't entirely sure how that figure has been calculated though.

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Perhaps by counters on the Bog Doors?:D

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Extra cups of coffee sold? Who knows. Apparently there are special devices all over the town centre.

It isn't for a humble mortal such as I to question such things.

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Why on earth not? i sure as hell question such things.:alright:

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But no one ever accused you of being "humble" there, bud.;):D

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so on tuesday when i walked through the market hall 3 times .. i was counted 3 times ..... mmmmm oh and i didnt buy anything .. just using it as a shortcut ...

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The counters are between the set of doors on each entrance. If you limbo in it won't count you :)

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Might actually be a good idea. Mr Manchester Tony Wilson was an advocate of depedestrianisation for Manchester. The idea is that pedestrian-only areas become desolate lonely places in the evenings, and that opening them up to traffic makes them seem less threatening.
Could set Accy apart from other towns and attract some publicity.
Then all we need is to get rid of all the stupid speed humps and cameras that are wrecking any chance of recovery in the local economy......

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So does that mean if Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs went on a shopping expedition to Accrington Market Hall, it would count as only one visitor?

:confused::confused::confused:

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it counted me 3 times then ... the backs bad again ....:D

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The man, who despite the massive success and popularity of Factory Records, and the Haçienda, saw it all end up in debt and bankruptcy.

A fine broadcaster, but as an urban planner, R.I.P.

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Have you bothered to research his life and medical circumstances?
Mmmm - thought not - just your usual hot air then!

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Reckon yeh just backed a loser yon.

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Er..I met Tony Wilson on numerous occasions.

I'm fully aware of his life, and work.

As stated, he was a fantastic regional broadcaster. However the ideas the company, that he founded with his wife, a girl I knew from school, came up with for urban regeneration, were crud.

Now pop back in your shelter.

Admire the only good thing about Morecambe, the view away from it.

After three...

One, two, three.

'I'm H-A-P-P-Y.'

'I'm H-A-P-P-Y.'

'I know I am, I'm sure I am.'

'I'm H-A-P-P-Y.'

:)

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Then you will know that his debts and later bankruptcy were mostly down to very expensive health care.
As for Morecambe, the view is fantastic, I have to agree.
With regards to happiness, yes I am very happy here, it is a fantastic place to live.
There is not a lot for vistors to do here which is very good because it keeps out the yobs coming from the old mill towns on their charabancs.

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As I mentioned, the Haçienda being forced to close because of financial reasons, and despite massive sales, the losses suffered at Factory Records because of bad management, didn't bode well for his foray into urban planning.

Besides, he was declared bankrupt five years before he first became unwell.

As he admitted, he wasn't very good with money.

Which is always a bit of a handicap, when you're running a business.

;)

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I was never sure whether it was him who was bad with money or whether he trusted those around him too much.

Perhaps he should have gone into politics or maybe even banking:)

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That's the difference.

I am.

;)

Anyhow, back to the topic of this thread...

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Politics yes but banking well that would probably have been a bit iffy;)

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Well it was always open in the good old days:)

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anyway, has anyone had any confirmation that the road is going to be re-open?

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I think it's still at the planning stage yet, unless someone can confirm it's already been decided.

You could always phone up your uncle, and ask him.

:D

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Ffffffffff, how dare you lol

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Well it's definately not open next weeknd :D

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Through traffic is OK but if there's no where to park then it doesn't generate any income, look at Haslingden since they built the bypass, the Council are that daft they haven't even taken up the now useless yellow lines which would have helped the shopkeepers