Other side of the planning officer coin.

WARNING: This section may contain jokes or topics of an offensive nature.
Recommended for over 18's only. Send Admin a PM to request exclusion.

Moderators: Admin, Ralph, asl, Robin

RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Taking out traffic from Cheltenham town centre has increased pedestrian footfall by 84%.

https://road.cc/content/news/250502-thr ... er-car-ban" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Quite a common effect of improving the public realm in this way - let’s face it, how many on here used to get frustrated waiting far too long to cross the road at Boots corner as cars and traffic degraded what should have been a pedestrian focused retail and leisure location.

Added benefits of better air quality in town centre and increased physical activity. But it is the return of public space from cars to the shopper, worker and socialiser which is the biggest benefit to urban vibrancy imo.
ctfc-fan
Posts: 1881
Joined: 06 Jan 2010, 12:00
Maybe it’s increased footfall however the extra ‘feet’ aren’t spending as much as Clarence Parade and other areas have been severely hit by the stupid scheme. It’s badly planned and implemented and is actually a danger to road users in places, such as the bend into Royal Well.

It has also forced cars up other streets and areas such as St Paul’s which is seeing heavy traffic and jams at all times of the day.

It is the most stupid thing our council has ever done.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
ctfc-fan wrote:Maybe it’s increased footfall however the extra ‘feet’ aren’t spending as much as Clarence Parade and other areas have been severely hit by the stupid scheme. It’s badly planned and implemented and is actually a danger to road users in places, such as the bend into Royal Well.

It has also forced cars up other streets and areas such as St Paul’s which is seeing heavy traffic and jams at all times of the day.

It is the most stupid thing our council has ever done.
Eh? Clarence Parade is about 2 mins walk from Boots Corner - so not sure how the former will see a fall in footfall when the latter sees such an increase.

I agree that the alternative routes aren’t suitable for the volume of cars that still try and drive into the centre (was daft enough trying to drive into the centre 15-20 years ago let alone now).

Only answer is to make sure large car parks are more easily accessible on the approaches to town and/or for people to travel by other modes.

As for removing vehicles from the central heart of the public realm and retail area; completely the right thing to do and it will happen in most towns and cities in the next 5-10 years.
ctfc-fan
Posts: 1881
Joined: 06 Jan 2010, 12:00
Maybe go and ask the shop keepers and others who are losing so much business and ask the real people on the street.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
ctfc-fan wrote:Maybe go and ask the shop keepers and others who are losing so much business and ask the real people on the street.
Those questions will be asked, and will inform the analysis of the trials. Have you surveyed all the shops?

The article references ‘evidence’ that pedestrian and cyclists spend more per head in total. For a bit of of background, a few years ago I worked on a big study across about 15 town centres looking at this.

As expected, the majority of business owners said car parking was important and thought car drivers spent more.

In fact, surveys of people visiting shops and hospitality businesses showed that people who drive in might spend more per visit, but in a statistically significant majority, pedestrians and cyclists made more visits per month, spent more per month, and visited more businesses in total (e.g. if making three visits to a city centre supermarket that is three more opportunities to visit a coffee shop, bookshop, whatever).

Anecdotally, whether Cheltenham, Farnham, Whitley Bay, Cambridge, the number of places I visit where I only stay on one side of the road rather than fight a traffic jam to cross is large, meaning I am only passing half the shops.

Plenty of analysis of dwell times, desire lines, flow analysis etc shows that taking cars out of the retail centre, especially where it acts as a barrier like in Cheltenham, is better for town centre vibrancy and retail / leisure businesses.

Yes I completely agree the surrounding roads, access nodes and parking need to be up to scratch and managed well - which they aren’t currently - but in principle removing cars from Boots Corner is an indisputably positive thing. Hopefully negative findings from the trial will result in changes to surrounding alternative routes to overcome those problems, rather than scrapping the plans and redegrading the public realm.

If we were in China or Dubai the political will would be there just to build a dual carriageway tunnel from Lansdown Road under the town centre with entry/exits from/to Tewkesbury Rd, Evesham Road and London Road. Then all those that want to drive through can, whilst the public realm is preserved for who it is meant for, as are the other roads around the the town centre.
ctfc-fan
Posts: 1881
Joined: 06 Jan 2010, 12:00
Removing the cars from BC is unnecessary RCS. I know you like to point out otherwise but I live here whereas I understand you don’t currently and only visit?

I was in town Monday, and so many cars are still being caught out due to the way the whole stupid scheme has been implemented.

Also, it’s not like you can still just walk across BC as busses and delivery vehicles can still go through so you still need to wait.

I have a suggestion that you go to The Mayflower and speak to Chun and ask for his thoughts. He has seen it all and has pictures of cars going the wrong way because of the farcical implementation.

There’s no point making it pedestrianised as there will soon be no shops to visit....
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
ctfc-fan wrote:Removing the cars from BC is unnecessary RCS. I know you like to point out otherwise but I live here whereas I understand you don’t currently and only visit?

I was in town Monday, and so many cars are still being caught out due to the way the whole stupid scheme has been implemented.

Also, it’s not like you can still just walk across BC as busses and delivery vehicles can still go through so you still need to wait.

I have a suggestion that you go to The Mayflower and speak to Chun and ask for his thoughts. He has seen it all and has pictures of cars going the wrong way because of the farcical implementation.

There’s no point making it pedestrianised as there will soon be no shops to visit....
I spent 20 years living in Cheltenham and a family member runs a shop in town so no need to lecture me about Boots Corner.

Finding people and people going the wrong way is not a consequence of improving the high street, it is a consequence of not making sure the alternative routes are fit for purpose.
I have agreed with you on that point in my last two posts. The alternative routes need to be designed better.

Indeed it is only a half measure with buses still going down there. A 10m wide raised zebra crossing would help if no scope to re-route buses which I do not believe there is.

Believe what you like about the impact on shops. But ask yourself, would businesses like John Lewis invested in the high street if they thought that the plans were going to be detrimental to the retail area? And Urban Outfitters and and Luke 1997 opened in the Brewery two days ago - and they would have studied footfall and pedestrian flows before taking on those units. Especially UO who to locate so far from H&M and River Island must have complete confidence that the Council plans will improve the pedestrian journey from Regent’s Arcade to the Brewery.

Trust me, it is literally my job to know what towns and cities and what is successful or not, and the plans for Cheltenham High Street will have a positive impact on the high street and it will be a common policy across nearly all town centres over the next 5-10 years. The town does need more modern multi storey car parks around the town centre though. Even though car ownership in urban areas is declining each year meaning big cities will be able to reduce parking, Cheltenham is a centre for the surrounding areas and its suburbs so cars will still be important despite what the environmental/cycle lobby might claim.

It is not about my point of view. It is about learning from analysis and review of evidence.

It will 5-10 years for real impact to show, so knee jerking over confusing signs is daft.

I still think a tunnel under the centre for through traffic would be good if no option to improve other routes through the town.
asl
Posts: 6668
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:37
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:would businesses like John Lewis invested in the high street if they thought that the plans were going to be detrimental to the retail area?
Haven't they also said that the Cheltenham store will be their last because the concept of large high street department stores are a thing of the past?

I hear stories about how bad Boots Corner is, but I refuse to believe that it's impossible to negotiate as a car driver if you pay attention to the road and to the signs. Why is it any different to hitting a town you've never been through before in the days before sat nav? Now, if the signs are wrong, there's cause for complaint - otherwise drivers need to pay more attention to what they're doing instead of relying on the autopilot that they've developed from "living there for 30 years or more and have always gone that way."
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
asl wrote:
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:would businesses like John Lewis invested in the high street if they thought that the plans were going to be detrimental to the retail area?
Haven't they also said that the Cheltenham store will be their last because the concept of large high street department stores are a thing of the past?

I hear stories about how bad Boots Corner is, but I refuse to believe that it's impossible to negotiate as a car driver if you pay attention to the road and to the signs. Why is it any different to hitting a town you've never been through before in the days before sat nav? Now, if the signs are wrong, there's cause for complaint - otherwise drivers need to pay more attention to what they're doing instead of relying on the autopilot that they've developed from "living there for 30 years or more and have always gone that way."
Yes department model is changing.

Agreed. If people can’t read or understand signs you have to question whether it safe for them to drive.
User avatar
Shade
Posts: 16823
Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 13:02
Location: Cheltenhamshire
There are several gripes about the whole thing, from my POV.
1. The signage and planning of it is, currently, awful. However, it is better than when it was first implemented.
2. The roads around Cheltenham are not up to handling the extra traffic. Race week is going to be unbelievably bad, as it's usually bad enough.
3. Rodney Road must now have about 50x the amount of traffic going up it and onto the High Street as it did before. In my opinion, this is much worse than traffic going through Boots Corner as people don't really look out for cars there. Bearing in mind there is no pedestrian crossing there at all, earlier this week I had a cyclist just carry on straight across at speed as I approached the High Street. He didn't even look down the road to see if anything was coming. And it would have been all my fault as the driver, I expect... I've seen it with pedestrians too, just walking into the road in front of cars that they're not expecting to be there. People also just walk in the road down there. Only a matter of time until there's a serious accident. They'd be better closing that off and re-opening Boots Corner.
4. I work in town, near Boots Corner and Royal Well. I need to drive for my job. It used to take 1 minute to get to the north side of town, but now honestly takes over 10 minutes of queueing at most times of the day to head to Bishop's Cleeve, etc. That's mostly due to the God awful lights on St Margaret's Road. How that helps the environment, I don't know.
5. Buses and taxis still go through Boots Corner, so there are still lights, so people can't just walk around like it's a pedestrianised area.
6. The huge wooden planters are ridiculous, with seats facing into the road. However, I did see a couple sat on one facing up North Street whilst eating their Greggs pasties. Then a bus went past and showered them in smoke.
7. Businesses are being hit, especially between Royal Well and Boots Corner. Unless you're calling the business owners here liars.

The councillor, Andrew McKinlay I think it is, seems to have his head so far up his own ass that he doesn't seem interested in anyone's negative opinions, of which there are a lot.
User avatar
Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
asl wrote:
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:would businesses like John Lewis invested in the high street if they thought that the plans were going to be detrimental to the retail area?
Haven't they also said that the Cheltenham store will be their last because the concept of large high street department stores are a thing of the past?

I hear stories about how bad Boots Corner is, but I refuse to believe that it's impossible to negotiate as a car driver if you pay attention to the road and to the signs. Why is it any different to hitting a town you've never been through before in the days before sat nav? Now, if the signs are wrong, there's cause for complaint - otherwise drivers need to pay more attention to what they're doing instead of relying on the autopilot that they've developed from "living there for 30 years or more and have always gone that way."
I believe the issue / complaints are in the area of the scarcity of the signage. It seems to be akin to being taken off the motor way and told to follow the black diamond diversion, only to find there is no black diamond diversion. If memory serves me well. the 'reading' of the signs enlightens you ton the fact you can't go up to Boots corner, but offers no diversion information (apart from one 'other traffic' sign). If this is just an experiment, it would have been useful spending a few more £ on top of the £xxx,xxxx pounds it has already cost, to put up complete and useful diversion signage. To a local it can't be too confusing, just follow the snaking line of traffic around the town. However to visitors it does leave them high and dry. Should be much amusement come March
User avatar
Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
Shade wrote:There are several gripes about the whole thing, from my POV.
1. The signage and planning of it is, currently, awful. However, it is better than when it was first implemented.
2. The roads around Cheltenham are not up to handling the extra traffic. Race week is going to be unbelievably bad, as it's usually bad enough.
3. Rodney Road must now have about 50x the amount of traffic going up it and onto the High Street as it did before. In my opinion, this is much worse than traffic going through Boots Corner as people don't really look out for cars there. Bearing in mind there is no pedestrian crossing there at all, earlier this week I had a cyclist just carry on straight across at speed as I approached the High Street. He didn't even look down the road to see if anything was coming. And it would have been all my fault as the driver, I expect... I've seen it with pedestrians too, just walking into the road in front of cars that they're not expecting to be there. People also just walk in the road down there. Only a matter of time until there's a serious accident. They'd be better closing that off and re-opening Boots Corner.
4. I work in town, near Boots Corner and Royal Well. I need to drive for my job. It used to take 1 minute to get to the north side of town, but now honestly takes over 10 minutes of queueing at most times of the day to head to Bishop's Cleeve, etc. That's mostly due to the God awful lights on St Margaret's Road. How that helps the environment, I don't know.
5. Buses and taxis still go through Boots Corner, so there are still lights, so people can't just walk around like it's a pedestrianised area.
6. The huge wooden planters are ridiculous, with seats facing into the road. However, I did see a couple sat on one facing up North Street whilst eating their Greggs pasties. Then a bus went past and showered them in smoke.
7. Businesses are being hit, especially between Royal Well and Boots Corner. Unless you're calling the business owners here liars.

The councillor, Andrew McKinlay I think it is, seems to have his head so far up his own ass that he doesn't seem interested in anyone's negative opinions, of which there are a lot.
Wish I had read this first . EXACTLY!!
my cross town journey time of what was 15 mins, is now very seldom less than 45. Have tried every known route to mankind to try and avoid the queues, but to no avail. Slightly easier way, is to go down the M5, up to the Air Balloon and down Crick Hill. It must make sense to someone, probably the clowns we elected with their massive electoral support of 1,000
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Ihearye wrote:
Shade wrote:There are several gripes about the whole thing, from my POV.
1. The signage and planning of it is, currently, awful. However, it is better than when it was first implemented.
2. The roads around Cheltenham are not up to handling the extra traffic. Race week is going to be unbelievably bad, as it's usually bad enough.
3. Rodney Road must now have about 50x the amount of traffic going up it and onto the High Street as it did before. In my opinion, this is much worse than traffic going through Boots Corner as people don't really look out for cars there. Bearing in mind there is no pedestrian crossing there at all, earlier this week I had a cyclist just carry on straight across at speed as I approached the High Street. He didn't even look down the road to see if anything was coming. And it would have been all my fault as the driver, I expect... I've seen it with pedestrians too, just walking into the road in front of cars that they're not expecting to be there. People also just walk in the road down there. Only a matter of time until there's a serious accident. They'd be better closing that off and re-opening Boots Corner.
4. I work in town, near Boots Corner and Royal Well. I need to drive for my job. It used to take 1 minute to get to the north side of town, but now honestly takes over 10 minutes of queueing at most times of the day to head to Bishop's Cleeve, etc. That's mostly due to the God awful lights on St Margaret's Road. How that helps the environment, I don't know.
5. Buses and taxis still go through Boots Corner, so there are still lights, so people can't just walk around like it's a pedestrianised area.
6. The huge wooden planters are ridiculous, with seats facing into the road. However, I did see a couple sat on one facing up North Street whilst eating their Greggs pasties. Then a bus went past and showered them in smoke.
7. Businesses are being hit, especially between Royal Well and Boots Corner. Unless you're calling the business owners here liars.

The councillor, Andrew McKinlay I think it is, seems to have his head so far up his own ass that he doesn't seem interested in anyone's negative opinions, of which there are a lot.
Wish I had read this first . EXACTLY!!
my cross town journey time of what was 15 mins, is now very seldom less than 45. Have tried every known route to mankind to try and avoid the queues, but to no avail. Slightly easier way, is to go down the M5, up to the Air Balloon and down Crick Hill. It must make sense to someone, probably the clowns we elected with their massive electoral support of 1,000
I have gone to J11a on the M5 to Charlton Kings/Leckampton end of town for years when heading from the north. Just a personal preference but I’d rather go ten miles/mins longer on a motorway and dual carriageway than through a town centre whenever possible. Just much easier.
ctfc-fan
Posts: 1881
Joined: 06 Jan 2010, 12:00
Shade wrote:There are several gripes about the whole thing, from my POV.
1. The signage and planning of it is, currently, awful. However, it is better than when it was first implemented.
2. The roads around Cheltenham are not up to handling the extra traffic. Race week is going to be unbelievably bad, as it's usually bad enough.
3. Rodney Road must now have about 50x the amount of traffic going up it and onto the High Street as it did before. In my opinion, this is much worse than traffic going through Boots Corner as people don't really look out for cars there. Bearing in mind there is no pedestrian crossing there at all, earlier this week I had a cyclist just carry on straight across at speed as I approached the High Street. He didn't even look down the road to see if anything was coming. And it would have been all my fault as the driver, I expect... I've seen it with pedestrians too, just walking into the road in front of cars that they're not expecting to be there. People also just walk in the road down there. Only a matter of time until there's a serious accident. They'd be better closing that off and re-opening Boots Corner.
4. I work in town, near Boots Corner and Royal Well. I need to drive for my job. It used to take 1 minute to get to the north side of town, but now honestly takes over 10 minutes of queueing at most times of the day to head to Bishop's Cleeve, etc. That's mostly due to the God awful lights on St Margaret's Road. How that helps the environment, I don't know.
5. Buses and taxis still go through Boots Corner, so there are still lights, so people can't just walk around like it's a pedestrianised area.
6. The huge wooden planters are ridiculous, with seats facing into the road. However, I did see a couple sat on one facing up North Street whilst eating their Greggs pasties. Then a bus went past and showered them in smoke.
7. Businesses are being hit, especially between Royal Well and Boots Corner. Unless you're calling the business owners here liars.

The councillor, Andrew McKinlay I think it is, seems to have his head so far up his own ass that he doesn't seem interested in anyone's negative opinions, of which there are a lot.
Spot on Shade. But don't worry, it'll be OK in 5 years time according to RCS...
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
ctfc-fan wrote:
Shade wrote:There are several gripes about the whole thing, from my POV.
1. The signage and planning of it is, currently, awful. However, it is better than when it was first implemented.
2. The roads around Cheltenham are not up to handling the extra traffic. Race week is going to be unbelievably bad, as it's usually bad enough.
3. Rodney Road must now have about 50x the amount of traffic going up it and onto the High Street as it did before. In my opinion, this is much worse than traffic going through Boots Corner as people don't really look out for cars there. Bearing in mind there is no pedestrian crossing there at all, earlier this week I had a cyclist just carry on straight across at speed as I approached the High Street. He didn't even look down the road to see if anything was coming. And it would have been all my fault as the driver, I expect... I've seen it with pedestrians too, just walking into the road in front of cars that they're not expecting to be there. People also just walk in the road down there. Only a matter of time until there's a serious accident. They'd be better closing that off and re-opening Boots Corner.
4. I work in town, near Boots Corner and Royal Well. I need to drive for my job. It used to take 1 minute to get to the north side of town, but now honestly takes over 10 minutes of queueing at most times of the day to head to Bishop's Cleeve, etc. That's mostly due to the God awful lights on St Margaret's Road. How that helps the environment, I don't know.
5. Buses and taxis still go through Boots Corner, so there are still lights, so people can't just walk around like it's a pedestrianised area.
6. The huge wooden planters are ridiculous, with seats facing into the road. However, I did see a couple sat on one facing up North Street whilst eating their Greggs pasties. Then a bus went past and showered them in smoke.
7. Businesses are being hit, especially between Royal Well and Boots Corner. Unless you're calling the business owners here liars.

The councillor, Andrew McKinlay I think it is, seems to have his head so far up his own ass that he doesn't seem interested in anyone's negative opinions, of which there are a lot.
Spot on Shade. But don't worry, it'll be OK in 5 years time according to RCS...
Don’t shoot the messenger.
User avatar
Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:
Ihearye wrote:
Shade wrote:There are several gripes about the whole thing, from my POV.
1. The signage and planning of it is, currently, awful. However, it is better than when it was first implemented.
2. The roads around Cheltenham are not up to handling the extra traffic. Race week is going to be unbelievably bad, as it's usually bad enough.
3. Rodney Road must now have about 50x the amount of traffic going up it and onto the High Street as it did before. In my opinion, this is much worse than traffic going through Boots Corner as people don't really look out for cars there. Bearing in mind there is no pedestrian crossing there at all, earlier this week I had a cyclist just carry on straight across at speed as I approached the High Street. He didn't even look down the road to see if anything was coming. And it would have been all my fault as the driver, I expect... I've seen it with pedestrians too, just walking into the road in front of cars that they're not expecting to be there. People also just walk in the road down there. Only a matter of time until there's a serious accident. They'd be better closing that off and re-opening Boots Corner.
4. I work in town, near Boots Corner and Royal Well. I need to drive for my job. It used to take 1 minute to get to the north side of town, but now honestly takes over 10 minutes of queueing at most times of the day to head to Bishop's Cleeve, etc. That's mostly due to the God awful lights on St Margaret's Road. How that helps the environment, I don't know.
5. Buses and taxis still go through Boots Corner, so there are still lights, so people can't just walk around like it's a pedestrianised area.
6. The huge wooden planters are ridiculous, with seats facing into the road. However, I did see a couple sat on one facing up North Street whilst eating their Greggs pasties. Then a bus went past and showered them in smoke.
7. Businesses are being hit, especially between Royal Well and Boots Corner. Unless you're calling the business owners here liars.

The councillor, Andrew McKinlay I think it is, seems to have his head so far up his own ass that he doesn't seem interested in anyone's negative opinions, of which there are a lot.
Wish I had read this first . EXACTLY!!
my cross town journey time of what was 15 mins, is now very seldom less than 45. Have tried every known route to mankind to try and avoid the queues, but to no avail. Slightly easier way, is to go down the M5, up to the Air Balloon and down Crick Hill. It must make sense to someone, probably the clowns we elected with their massive electoral support of 1,000
I have gone to J11a on the M5 to Charlton Kings/Leckampton end of town for years when heading from the north. Just a personal preference but I’d rather go ten miles/mins longer on a motorway and dual carriageway than through a town centre whenever possible. Just much easier.
Indeed, however, I am making a conscious decision to drive out of Cheltenham , Lansdowne Rd, Arle , Golden Valley and then down the M5 in order to get to Charlton Kings. Utter madness. Hit the town centre while attempting that route at peak time and the roads are in Gridlock. I have sat in Q from London Road lights , past Cox Meadow and up to the Boys college Chapel. The other alternative is to go down past A&E and sit in a similar Q from the Chapel!
All this and our illustrious leaders inform us that the police have reported no build up of traffic on other routes since BC closure. Got to wonder how they actually solve a crime if they can't spot that one. Couldn't track elephants in the snow!
And don't get me started on the disaster that is what they have done to BC, astro turf ???? and cheap astro turf at that.

Another bug bear is why the **** should taxi's be allowed to use BC, they are going about their business just like anyone else. Let them take the same routes. Especially as most of the taxis I see going past BC have no passengers in them. The next planned bus route is across the front of Boots, so would love to know how this will improve out car free zone. Total Bo11ox absolute and total Bo11ox. They better not quote lack of government funds at me again
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Now in today’s Observer:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... ttleground" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“Cars or clean air? Cheltenham’s Boots Corner becomes the new battleground”

“As air pollution fears rise, Cheltenham ‘put people before traffic’ and banned cars from part of its centre. But not everyone is happy.”
Red Duke
Posts: 1991
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:15
Location: North West
I would question the accuracy of the statement "Half of Glaswegians say".

Have they really spoken to every Glaswegian and asked them the question?
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Red Duke wrote:I would question the accuracy of the statement "Half of Glaswegians say".

Have they really spoken to every Glaswegian and asked them the question?
Depends on the sample size and level of statistical significance of any survey undertaken.
Red Duke
Posts: 1991
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:15
Location: North West
To me it is sign of very poor journalism. It is too glib a statement to make. If it from a survey, it should state the source of their information. It simply causes into question the accuracy of the rest of the article.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Red Duke wrote:To me it is sign of very poor journalism. It is too glib a statement to make. If it from a survey, it should state the source of their information. It simply causes into question the accuracy of the rest of the article.
That’s newspapers for you. I agree with you.
User avatar
Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:Now in today’s Observer:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... ttleground" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“Cars or clean air? Cheltenham’s Boots Corner becomes the new battleground”

“As air pollution fears rise, Cheltenham ‘put people before traffic’ and banned cars from part of its centre. But not everyone is happy.”
I would have slightly more sympathy for the council if they had

a) banned all vehicles
OR
b) insisted on 'Green' buses, if leaving the area open for bus routes
c) had not moved their air pollution problem a couple of hundred yards away from Boots corner
User avatar
Shade
Posts: 16823
Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 13:02
Location: Cheltenhamshire
In regards to Boots Corner, I would just like to add I would have no problems with it being closed if other roads had been improved (traffic lights, surfaces, etc) and planned to take all the extra traffic, and taxis and buses also weren't allowed through there.

Some of the roads around the town that have been taking extra traffic, around St James' Square, Knapp Rd, etc, are already in a terrible state from the extra cars and especially lorries, and the winter weather hasn't even hit yet.
User avatar
Shade
Posts: 16823
Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 13:02
Location: Cheltenhamshire
Not surprising at all, but the council have now admitted that they have never monitored air pollution through Boots Corner. They should get monitoring the gridlocks every morning and night that closing it has caused. Apparently NO2 is lower at Clarence Parade traffic lights than on Gloucester Road.

Protest going on outside the council offices right now, apparently.
ctfc-fan
Posts: 1881
Joined: 06 Jan 2010, 12:00
Shade wrote:Not surprising at all, but the council have now admitted that they have never monitored air pollution through Boots Corner. They should get monitoring the gridlocks every morning and night that closing it has caused. Apparently NO2 is lower at Clarence Parade traffic lights than on Gloucester Road.

Protest going on outside the council offices right now, apparently.
They are completely inept, the lot of them.
User avatar
Shade
Posts: 16823
Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 13:02
Location: Cheltenhamshire
Apparently they don't need to monitor Boots Corner as it isn't a residential area, but they are supposed to monitor residential areas.

No mention from the council of how much worse the residential areas that they are monitoring are since they forced all the traffic into the residential areas, though. Other than there's more in Gloucester Road than Clarence Parade, of course.

Cheltenham is apparently one of the 33 worst areas in the country for car pollution. Sort the traffic lights out, and everything else that makes cars sit idling over and we might start getting somewhere.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Or make it easier for people to not need to drive in the town / roll out EV charging infrastructure more quickly.
Red Duke
Posts: 1991
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:15
Location: North West
ctfc-fan wrote:
Shade wrote:Not surprising at all, but the council have now admitted that they have never monitored air pollution through Boots Corner. They should get monitoring the gridlocks every morning and night that closing it has caused. Apparently NO2 is lower at Clarence Parade traffic lights than on Gloucester Road.

Protest going on outside the council offices right now, apparently.
They are completely inept, the lot of them.
You couldn't make it up. What incompetence.
asl
Posts: 6668
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:37
Bring back the trams. All the way to the High Roost.
User avatar
Ihearye
Posts: 3428
Joined: 05 Jan 2018, 08:08
The town this morning (traffic wise), was a complete mess. The traffic was queued from tesco's on Teweks road to Pittville street and from Matlan to St Gregs.
According to our local politicians, the police or AA do not notice this occurrence. Beggars belief
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Ihearye wrote:The town this morning (traffic wise), was a complete mess. The traffic was queued from tesco's on Teweks road to Pittville street and from Matlan to St Gregs.
According to our local politicians, the police or AA do not notice this occurrence. Beggars belief
Road past Matalan been no-go for a few years now since Brewery completed.
ctfc-fan
Posts: 1881
Joined: 06 Jan 2010, 12:00
RegencyCheltenhamSpa wrote:
Ihearye wrote:The town this morning (traffic wise), was a complete mess. The traffic was queued from tesco's on Teweks road to Pittville street and from Matlan to St Gregs.
According to our local politicians, the police or AA do not notice this occurrence. Beggars belief
Road past Matalan been no-go for a few years now since Brewery completed.
But it’ll be ok in a couple of years so you tell us
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Latest study from London shows people travelling by foot, bike or public transport spend 40% more in local shops than those arriving by car.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonrei ... -motorists" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

“TfL’s Director of Transport Strategy Lilli Matson said: “This research from our new online hub shows the link between creating enjoyable spaces, where people want to spend time, and the results for better business.”

“In those areas improved – such as Bromley – the number of people walking in the streets increased by 93%.

People also spent more time in the street, with a 216% increase in activity such as going into shops and cafés.

Thanks to the increased – and improved – footfall, retail rental values increased by 7.5% and there was a 17% decline in retail vacancies.

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman said: “With businesses across London really struggling to survive, we have to do everything we can to support them. “Adapting our streets to enable more people to walk and cycle makes them cleaner, healthier and more welcoming, which encourages more people to shop locally”.
ctfc-fan
Posts: 1881
Joined: 06 Jan 2010, 12:00
Or those that now would take longer to get to their required shop(s) won’t be arsed and will just buy online causing more decline of the high street.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29757
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
ctfc-fan wrote:Or those that now would take longer to get to their required shop(s) won’t be arsed and will just buy online causing more decline of the high street.
I know right - observed data and statistics obviously not as accurate as what you’re dogma thinks should happen.

People are going to increase online shopping anyway. This is why the high street has to offer an environment which is a nice place to be and spend time.

Who wants to go shopping on a narrow pavement waiting ages to cross a zebra crossing breathing in particulates when you can shop online. But places to sit out drinking coffee etc, in an expansive car free zone, smart benches with free WiFi, interactive displays pushing snap deals and offers, trees, planters and green walls - making at a place to enjoy rather than places just to shop. Places who don’t adapt will die, and it is their own fault.
Post Reply