Queen Street Closure – County Recommendations

Extract from the paper to Cabinet Member for Environment

17 November 2016

This text is extracted from the paper presented to the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment on 24 November 2016, after a public consultation on a proposal to close Queen Street to buses and taxis once the new Westgate shopping centre is open. The full document is here.

24. … officers conclude that the original proposals need further consideration, but are clear that there is a need for changes prior to the opening of Westgate. … The effects of this, particularly on Queen Street, are difficult to quantify, which suggests the council should take a flexible approach and be prepared to alter its position once travel patterns settle down after the opening of the Westgate centre.

25. Officers consider … that a more informed understanding is required before a permanently solution implemented [sic]. This should be achieved through a trial. It is considered there are two possible options –: leave Queen Street open to buses in some form (potentially with a reduced bus flow), monitor the situation and close Queen Street if necessary; or close Queen Street to buses; monitor and re-open if appropriate.

26. Officers consider the second option to be the more appropriate option …

27. …

28. However, … this experimental closure should be conditional on identifying a deliverable package of improvements which:

Reduce congestion on the road and footways in St Aldate?s and the western end of High Street, …

Reduce congestion and bus journey times on the routes to which buses are displaced …

29. …

30. Given the proposed experimental approach to the removal of buses it is recommended that no further consideration is given to changes to cycle access until the question of bus access has been fully resolved.