Calls to pedestrianise more areas of Shrewsbury town centre

The society's access group is calling for new pedestrian crossings, cars to be banned from specific areas and streets, and traffic-calming ramps to be introduced.

Chairman of the society, Byron Grainger-Jones said: "The Shrewsbury Civic Society considers pedestrians to be central to the fulfilment of one of the society’s aims, i.e. to protect and conserve Shrewsbury’s built heritage for the benefit of its residents and its visitors.

"The fact is, that only as a pedestrian can one fully understand and appreciate the special character of the town’s buildings and monuments, squares, parks and street patterns. Also, only as a pedestrian can one take good photographs in order to prolong one’s memories of the place and preferably without interfering traffic.

"As a consequence, this society supports all efforts to improve and enhance the ‘pedestrian experience’ in town, including the daily life of the local people or commuters and the short or longer encounters by the many visitors. Such efforts may result in a limited slowing down of vehicular traffic, but this effect forms part of the strategy to discourage a proportion of traffic from entering the centre, wherever alternative routes are possible."

Among the suggestions are for The Square, which the society says is 'blighted by a noticeable amount of car traffic, waiting taxis and other vehicles, which are disturbing and polluting the atmosphere for all users'.

Offence

Mr Grainger-Jones said: "We believe that The Square should become officially and exclusively a pedestrian precinct, through the administrative closure of those remaining ‘roads’ surrounding The Square. Only emergencies, licensed deliveries and some access facilities at the SE (south-east) side could still be permitted, but any unauthorised use of the place by vehicles would constitute an offence."

The society also says that crossings should be made at the bottom of Pride Hill and a new crossing made between Barker Street and Claremont Hill.

It also wants speed humps installed on Wyle Cop.

Mr Grainger-Jones said: "Pedestrians can only move across the road at own risk through lively traffic. We believe that a solution is needed to facilitate pedestrian connections between the two sides. This could be achieved through a series of three ramps across the street similar to the one in existence at the lower end of Wyle Cop. These ramps would also act as undesignated crossing points."

The final suggestion is for traffic to be banned from High Street on Saturdays, as the society believes this would 'enhance both trading and enjoyment of the heritage buildings', under more comfortable and healthier conditions. Buses and emergency vehicles would be allowed through.

The society's proposals have been submitted to Shropshire Council for consideration.

Mr Grainger-Jones said: "We have submitted these proposals as a start, with the intention to follow them up with further specific points. We see no conflict with any other current plans and programmes aiming also at the improvement of life in Shrewsbury.”