New scheme for High Street abandons traffic ban
Tuesday, 10th July 2012.
A new proposal for Haverhill High Street's traffic regulation comes forward this week.
This one abandons any idea of shutting off the street with barriers, at least for a while, and looks to control traffic with speed humps instead.
It comes from Suffolk County Council snd will go before Haverhill Area Working Party on Thursday for approval.
The plan envisages a 20mph speed limit in the street, and closing it from 6am-6pm on Fridays as well as Saturdays so the market can be moved.
It would be a temporary order for 18 months to allow for consultation on how it works out.
Some of the earmarked money would be also used to redesign Peas Hill market square as it would no longer be needed for the market.
A report to Thursday's meeting says because of the number of objections the plan to pedestrianise the street every day has effectively been abandoned.
But the 20 mph zone covering the High Street did not receive any objections, and could be implemented as a stand-alone measure.
There was concern that an expensive paving scheme that still allowed for relatively widespread traffic use throughout the day would be seen by the general public as not offering good value for money, given the expectations raised previously of a traffic-free environment.
There is £750,000 earmarked for high street improvements, plus £183,000 from Suffolk County Council's local transport plan and so far about £54,000 has been spent on pre-construction costs, including the abortive Traffic Regulation Order process, scheme design and surveys.
The design team have come up with an alternative design, less complex than the previous proposals which would cost around £498,000.
This would leave about £8,000 to complete a revised Traffic REgulation Order and the remaining £191,000 to enhance the Peas Market Hill area.
The report goes on: "We would look to including as much of the previous work carried out on the
scheme as possible in the new TRO, either permanent or experimental. This would include closing the road between 6am and 6pm on market days.
"It was planned that Fridays would be additional market days and the TRO proposals include for
this option, while leaving flexibility for the future.
"We would need to work with the business community, including the original objectors, to ensure that this can be accommodated without leading to further objections."
This one abandons any idea of shutting off the street with barriers, at least for a while, and looks to control traffic with speed humps instead.
It comes from Suffolk County Council snd will go before Haverhill Area Working Party on Thursday for approval.
The plan envisages a 20mph speed limit in the street, and closing it from 6am-6pm on Fridays as well as Saturdays so the market can be moved.
It would be a temporary order for 18 months to allow for consultation on how it works out.
Some of the earmarked money would be also used to redesign Peas Hill market square as it would no longer be needed for the market.
A report to Thursday's meeting says because of the number of objections the plan to pedestrianise the street every day has effectively been abandoned.
But the 20 mph zone covering the High Street did not receive any objections, and could be implemented as a stand-alone measure.
There was concern that an expensive paving scheme that still allowed for relatively widespread traffic use throughout the day would be seen by the general public as not offering good value for money, given the expectations raised previously of a traffic-free environment.
There is £750,000 earmarked for high street improvements, plus £183,000 from Suffolk County Council's local transport plan and so far about £54,000 has been spent on pre-construction costs, including the abortive Traffic Regulation Order process, scheme design and surveys.
The design team have come up with an alternative design, less complex than the previous proposals which would cost around £498,000.
This would leave about £8,000 to complete a revised Traffic REgulation Order and the remaining £191,000 to enhance the Peas Market Hill area.
The report goes on: "We would look to including as much of the previous work carried out on the
scheme as possible in the new TRO, either permanent or experimental. This would include closing the road between 6am and 6pm on market days.
"It was planned that Fridays would be additional market days and the TRO proposals include for
this option, while leaving flexibility for the future.
"We would need to work with the business community, including the original objectors, to ensure that this can be accommodated without leading to further objections."
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