BOLLARDS TO GO ... NOW LET’S HAVE SAFER PAVEMENTS
TOWN TEAM CALLS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO STREETS –
MEMBERS of the Ashbourne Town Team say they are disappointed to hear the town’s social-distancing bollards are due to be removed from the streets, and they are calling for a more attractive permanent solution.
Ashbourne Town Council has led a public chorus in calling for the removal of the unsightly plastic bollards, which were among the first in country to be installed in response to the pandemic, and Derbyshire County Council has said they are under review.
But while the county council has told the News Telegraph there are no immediate plans to remove them, or to reinstate two-way traffic in Compton, the volunteer-run Ashbourne Town Team has put together a detailed proposal of how it would like to see the streets shaping up in the longer term.
The group, which unites traders, shoppers and members of the public in spearheading projects to improve the town and its economy, says they would like to see safer pavements for pedestrians, a continuation of the oneway system and parking area in Compton and a permanent but attractive method of keeping traffic away from pavement users.
The town team’s chairman Anne Wright said: “We have been disappointed to hear reports that there are moves to remove the Covid pedestrian safety measures in the town.
“Whilst we believe the current measures have been implemented and managed poorly, we would like to see much more attractive installations which could enhance the appearance of the town and provide much needed improved safety for pedestrians.
“Ashbourne Town Team has considered ways of making the temporary Covid-19 traffic management measures in the town centre permanent, safe and attractive.
“We would like to work with Ashbourne Town Council and Derbyshire County Council to review these measures.”
The group says the one-way system in Compton and Dig Street appears to have been a “great success”, and the measures have attracted shoppers to the area but temporary bollards, which are easily shifted or vandalised, give a poor impression of the town centre.
The group has also studied similar measures used around the country, which they will be putting forward to Derbyshire County Council as a potential template for better systems in Ashbourne.
Mrs Wright said: “The temporary traffic management measures demonstrate what could be done to significantly improve pedestrian movement in the town centre and to reduce the dominance of traffic to make it a safer and more attractive place to shop and visit.
“We now need to take advantage of this experience and improve on what the county has started by introducing permanent and attractive traffic management measures to deliver much-needed improvements in Ashbourne for visitors and residents.”
Ashbourne Town Team has also been busy working on applying for a Community Renewal Fund, which would channel government cash into the town centre and could be used to fund projects that will make the streets safer and more attractive.
If successful, the money would be used to fund a “masterplan”, which would focus squarely on improving the streets for shoppers, before working on other key projects such as rationalising car parking, refurbishing the Market Place, and regenerating busy pedestrian areas.
The county council’s former cabinet member for highways, deputy leader Simon Spencer, has told the News Telegraph there are no immediate plans for removing the bollards, although he is keen for the authority to make some “tweaks” to make the current system safer, more attractive and more functional.
He also pointed out that any permanent changes, unlike with the emergency measures put in place through the pandemic, would need to be put out to a full public consultation, with all traders and members of the public invited to give their views.