Council makes U-turn on inner ring road
BUSINESSES have forced Derby City Council to make a U-turn on road layouts.
As part of the £36.2 million scheme to complete the city's inner ring road, the authority stopped drivers going straight on from Curzon Street across to Cheapside.
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Connecting Wardwick
The ban caused complaints from businesses in the Cathedral Quarter, who said it made it difficult for customers to get to the nearby Bold Lane car park.
After taking leadership of the council in May, Councillor Philip Hickson vowed to take a second look. He also said he would ask officers to consider allowing traffic to turn right on to the inner ring road from Friar Gate.
The council is now due to publish traffic orders undoing those restrictions.
Paul Robinson, strategic director for neighbourhoods, said: "Now the scheme is fully operational a number of impacts, which were not previously understood by some people, including city centre business, have become apparent and need to be addressed."
The orders, if approved, will allow vehicles to turn left from St Mary's Gate to Bold Lane and cars to go from Wardwick into Friar Gate.
Mr Robinson said: "Removal of these restrictions will open up access to and improve egress from the Cathedral Quarter."
The move has been welcomed by some business owners.
Michael Hall, who owns a jewellery business in Cheapside, said: "I'm absolutely delighted they have listened to us but I'm not impressed they have said the impacts were not understood by businesses as we raised our concerns. More than 85 people objected."
But the changes have not gone down well with everyone.
The Connecting Derby scheme was designed to prevent rat-running through the city centre. Vernon Street resident Nigel Aspdin said he feared that would return if the orders were approved.
"This will undo the good work of the Connecting Derby," he said.
"One of the purposes of Connecting Derby was to take traffic out of the city centre and this will allow that traffic back in.
"By doing what they are planning to do they are going to create new rat runs which are not in the interests of anyone except the odd motorist or commercial vehicle wanting to cut across the city centre."
Mr Hickson said he did not believe that would be the case.
"People will take the quickest route and the quickest route now is on the inner ring road, not trying to negotiate a way through the city centre."
The changes will not come into force before the end of August.
5 Comments
by Andrew_Ilson
Sunday, July 31 2011, 7:01PM
“Surely the u-turn is just going to redirect traffic in the opposite direction.”
by misterviv
Sunday, July 31 2011, 8:19AM
“It would also be good if the Council could remove the inbound bus lane down Friargate,reroute the bus to go down Agard street then turn off at the Joseph Wright college and along Bold lane to the Strand. This would allow traffic from Ford street to turn up friargate without the current bottlenecks as they filter into one lane. I walk that route every day, and have witnessed some bumps,scrapes and horrendous near-misses.”
by Derby_born
Saturday, July 30 2011, 11:53PM
“In my opinion Philip Hickson has shown that he is prepared to put Derby before party political interests. He has challenged Cameron and Hammond over Bombardier and will continue putting pressure on ministers for as long as it takes. He has now shown that he is prepared to listen to and act on concerns over the inner ring road.
Why does the Telegraph always refer to such decisions as a "U-Turn"? There have been complaints from businesses that claim to have suffered because of the way the traffic is managed on the Inner Ring Road, so anyone with any sense would look at the situation, review it and if it is the case, do something about it. Well done Mr. Hickson for listening and doing something.”
by Fasty
Saturday, July 30 2011, 6:15PM
“a number of impacts, which were not previously understood by some people
'Some people' obviously includes so-called traffic planners.”
by dianae
Saturday, July 30 2011, 5:41PM
“So Philip Hickson and Derby Council are not afraid to review decisions - unlike Hammond and the coalition govt!”