Stone High Street could be pedestrianised for longer each day
A Staffordshire high street could remain closed to vehicles for longer on weekdays as part of a council's bid to improve safety for pedestrians and boost business.
Currently vehicles are able to drive Stone High Street after 4pm each day.
But Stone Town Council members have been concerned for several years that allowing cars and vans into the High Street after 4pm poses a safety risk to town centre visitors who are unaware it is not always a pedestrian-only zone.
Stone Town Council has now asked Staffordshire County Council to consider increasing the hours the High Street is closed to vehicles as part of a number of proposals to help attract visitors back to the area after lockdown.
It is hoped the move will also help pedestrians use the High Street more safely if more businesses place tables and chairs outside for their customers as part of a pavement licensing scheme.
High Street venues Bear Coffee Co and Ten Green Bottles have secured pavement licences in recent weeks as part of the new measures brought in by the Government to speed up the application process and help businesses provide more socially distanced seating during the coronavirus pandemic.
At this month’s town council meeting members were told how their proposals were progressing.
Councillor Jill Hood said: “At Stone Town Council’s request county highways are looking at a temporary road order to stop vehicles coming into the High Street on a Sunday and also weekday evenings.
“I’m personally concerned about the safety of residents and visitors to the High Street who are sometimes under the wrong impression it is pedestrianised at all times. I must be like any other parent or grandparent when they’re in the High Street, thinking it’s pedestrianised and then you get cars whizzing down trying to beat the traffic on Christchurch Way, thinking if they come down the High Street that they’ll get through more quickly. But it doesn’t happen that way.
'Dangerous'
“It is extremely dangerous and the time we have got in the High Street at the moment, 4pm, is when we have all the Alleyne’s children walking down, Christ Church Middle School, some of the little children from Christ Church First School coming down the High Street.
"They haven’t got a care in the world, they are so busy talking to each other but the reality is we could have a serious accident.
“We’ve also got mobility scooters that are now having to go round the people enjoying sitting outside."
Councillor Rob Kenney said: “The other consideration we have is with any applications we have come in for pavement licences for licensed premises and cafes. It is quite obvious that with those we have now that have licences there isn’t a pavement any more at times.
“The schoolchildren that come down at 4pm have to walk on the road sometimes because there is no pavement to walk on. It’s going to help with that situation as well."
Stone Town Council also asked Stafford Borough Council to consider suspending the £100 fee for pavement licence applications for the town’s businesses for the rest of the year.
But a response from licensing manager Julie Wallace said: “Unfortunately we cannot oblige your request to suspend the payment fee for pavement licences in Stone. If this was granted then it would have a knock on effect as premises in Stafford and Eccleshall would expect the same.”
Town councillor Jonathan Powell said he was disappointed. He added: “In the short term is there a problem with that? I don’t see a problem with it at all – we’re not asking them to wipe it and get rid of the fee.
“I think the idea was to have it in the short term – maximum leading up to Christmas. It’s short sighted in my view”
