Views sought on plans to restrict town traffic
Changes needed to make social distancing easier
Parts of Campbeltown could be subject to temporary traffic access restrictions to enable people to socially distance better, Argyll and Bute Council has announced.
The authority is consulting with residents and businesses on plans to implement measures on parts of Longrow South, Main Street, the Esplanade and Hall Street.
Three options are being considered for Longrow South from Main Street to Burnbank Place – introducing an advisory pedestrian one-way system, introducing the already-planned traffic one-way system or no change.
The relevant stretch of Main Street is from Kirk Street to Argyll Street, with plans also seeing parking removed in that area. The proposals also take in part of Hall Street between Campbeltown Picture House and Main Street.
The council is also proposing to install a segregated two-way cycleway on the seaward side of the Esplanade.
The proposals have been made after the council received £315,000 from the Spaces for
People programme to deliver temporary infrastructure to enable safer access for people who are walking, cycling or on wheels during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The council said in a statement: ‘Our proposals for Campbeltown are focused on the sections where footways are not wide enough to enable everyone to safely maintain social distancing and feel safe when visiting Campbeltown.
‘Our proposals also aim to support those who have taken up walking and cycling during lockdown to feel they can continue to safely travel into town this way. The short section of footway on Main Street opposite Campbeltown Town Hall is too narrow for social distancing.
‘We propose to remove the on-street car parking between Kirk Street and the bus stop to enable the footway to be widened to create more space for social distancing for those visiting the town centre, queueing to get into shops or waiting for the bus.
‘With the increased interest in cycling, we propose to install a two-way, segregated cycleway on the seaward side of the Esplanade using some of the road carriageway.
‘This would provide a route for cyclists from the north of Campbeltown into the town centre, separated from cars and pedestrians, as well as serving part of the long-distance NCN78 Caledonia Way tourist cycle route.
‘Hall Street, between Campbeltown Picture House and the junction with Main Street, houses a number of shops, cafes and the cinema.
‘As part of the A83 trunk road, the road and on-street parking is controlled by Transport Scotland. We propose to work with Transport Scotland to temporarily remove the onstreet parking on the inland side of Hall Street outside the shop and cinema to enable us to widen the footway to help everyone safely social distance, including while queueing to get into the cinema, shops or cafes.'
The Spaces for People programme is funded by Transport Scotland and administered by Sustrans. Councillor Alastair Redman, the authority's policy lead for economic growth, said: ‘We have ideas on how we help reopen our towns. Before putting anything in place, we want to consult with businesses and residents to find out what they think. We need to create more space for people to move around safely and use local businesses as they open up. This might involve moving into public realm areas.
‘Measures will be temporary, for as long as we have to deal with Covid-19, and will focus on protecting public health, supporting physical distancing and kick-starting our economy. Consultations will be online and will be done quickly as it is vital people are given the opportunity to start getting out and making use of town centres again as safely as possible. I would urge everyone to give us your views as it is really important residents and businesses feel supported.'
The survey can be accessed via the council website at argyll-bute.gov.uk and is open until Sunday July 26.