Town centre makeover faces delay until 2013 (From Echo)
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Town centre makeover faces delay until 2013
9:00am Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News By Jacqueline McMillan
PLANS to transform Hadleigh town centre may not be approved until next year.
The £60million masterplan aims to boost trade by restricting traffic between the old fire station and Rectory Road, and closing part of London Road to parking.
The High Street would then be opened to two-way traffic.
A final decision on the plans was postponed in March after a £30,000 survey assessing whether the new traffic layout would work was deemed invalid, due to the effect of traffic jams at Sadlers Farm.
A new traffic survey will be conducted in October, but, Essex County Council says the results are not expected until the new year, delaying any decision on the masterplan even further.
A county council spokesman said: “Arrangements for the surveys, including the programme, are being considered at present, and a timetable will be confirmed once these arrangements have been finalised. It is hoped the results will be available in the early part of next year.”
The regeneration of Hadleigh was first proposed in December 2010, but residents have spoken of their frustration that plans have still not left the drawing board.
However, David Hurrell, 57, of Willow Walk, fears the traffic restrictions will come into force, no matter what.
He said: “The report has been going on so long now the feeling is the masterplan is a done deal, no matter what the survey says.
“We haven’t had a meeting on the regeneration since March, because it all hinges on this traffic report. It just seems like they will keep doing it until they get the result they want that will allow the plans to go ahead, which could take who knows how long.”
The ambitious plans include transforming the Crown pub, in High Street, into an arthouse cinema, improving shop frontages and creating a space for a market.
Comments(7)
perini
says...
11:52am Wed 12 Sep 12
Curbishly
says...
1:44pm Wed 12 Sep 12
perini wrote:You've already got four lanes of traffic how many more do you want?
Grid-lock approaches!! If anything the roads need to be widened not restricted!
Some people.
God Almighty
says...
2:32pm Wed 12 Sep 12
Curbishly wrote:Silly comment. Hadleigh has some of the worst jams along the London Road now, reducing the lanes won't stop that, it will just move the jams further up the road which won't solve anything. If this goes ahead it's pounds to peanuts the dual lanes will have to be reinstated in a few years by which time there will probably be a few more 'traffic calming' measures in place in the side roads which will just make it harder for Hadleigh residents to get around their own town. There is only one cure for this and that is to extend (not widen, Curbishly) the dualing to Thames Drive where a lot of traffic leaves the London Road. It aint rocket science! Why is it that when people become Councillors common sense goes out the window?
perini wrote: Grid-lock approaches!! If anything the roads need to be widened not restricted!You've already got four lanes of traffic how many more do you want? Some people.
John T Pharro
says...
3:17pm Wed 12 Sep 12
God Almighty wrote:What is the point of doing a traffic survey in October? The last one was invalid because of the road works at Sadlers Farm. Essex CC have announced Sadlers Farm will not be finished until January.
Curbishly wrote:Silly comment. Hadleigh has some of the worst jams along the London Road now, reducing the lanes won't stop that, it will just move the jams further up the road which won't solve anything. If this goes ahead it's pounds to peanuts the dual lanes will have to be reinstated in a few years by which time there will probably be a few more 'traffic calming' measures in place in the side roads which will just make it harder for Hadleigh residents to get around their own town. There is only one cure for this and that is to extend (not widen, Curbishly) the dualing to Thames Drive where a lot of traffic leaves the London Road. It aint rocket science! Why is it that when people become Councillors common sense goes out the window?
perini wrote: Grid-lock approaches!! If anything the roads need to be widened not restricted!You've already got four lanes of traffic how many more do you want? Some people.
Clearly Essex CC and Castle Point don't have a clue what they are doing either within or between themselves.
Brunning999
says...
4:37pm Wed 12 Sep 12
perini
says...
10:57am Thu 13 Sep 12
Curbishly wrote:The £60million masterplan aims to boost trade by restricting traffic between the old fire station and Rectory Road, and closing part of London Road to parking.
perini wrote: Grid-lock approaches!! If anything the roads need to be widened not restricted!You've already got four lanes of traffic how many more do you want? Some people.
The High Street would then be opened to two-way traffic.
Curbishly - it helps if you read the article before putting foot in mouth!
marshman says...
10:55am Wed 12 Sep 12