Widemarsh St pedestrianised hours

[Bilbobobby]

As you know traffic is prohibited from entering or leaving the High Town side of Widemarsh St., between 1030 & 1630 daily. We all also know the council failed to put in place traffic regulations to prevent/manage parking at all times.

So what's happening

At great expense the road layout was upgraded with a defined road and footpaths. Now mornings involve cars and delivery vehicles filling the delivery bays and straddling the footpaths. This is further compounded with builders vans parking on the footpaths all day whilst working at the new fish restaurant.

Car owners have caught on quite quickly to beat the parking costs and parking all day for free. Cyclists ride along the street (road and footpath) in both directions all day.

So how long will it be before harm is caused to pedestrians through driver disregard and no enforcement.

Worcester has a similar problem in The Shambles with an elderly lady crushed by a lorry last year. The council there are undertaking a public consultation to see what the local needs are

Who is the enforcement authority and who will take responsibility and sort out the obvious dangers that I feel will get worse

Debate!

[adamski]

Great post, great question.

Sadly I have no answers, only more questions.

Really, the vagueness of the whole thing needs tidying up before we get on to enforcement.

I think that the simplest approach would work best for everyone.

Barriers up at ten thirty (if they can be made to work reliably - seem to spend more time broken than working (but that's another matter!!)). No vehicles to remain in the pedestrianised areas after that, and no vehicular movement within that area until 4.30 p.m. SEVEN days a week.

Simple and straightforward. Easily understood/explained and hopefully, easily enforced. Big fine for anyone contravening, including cyclists (of which I am one, by the way)

Rant over, for now.

[Ubique]

Bilbobobby - you are so right , this shambles is a serious accident waiting to happen - last Tuesday at about 1115 I was walking from the Maylord towards the alleyway leading to Tescos , in front of me and walking the same way was a couple with two young children running , perhaps to free .. Widemarsh St was chockerblock with parked cars and vans - I was aware of an Audi which had been parked further down the Street travel along Widemarsh St at a speed which was far to fast for the conditions. It was apparent to me that this couple had not seen the forthcoming danger , I shouted to them to stop the children , thank goodness they realised the danger and grabbed the children . Because of the haphazard parking we , who were going to the alleyway to Tescos were stepping out into the road in front of a parked van which seriously restricted the view to the right .

 

Surely this Council and Cllrs are aware of this situation and for whatever reason chose to ignore it .

[Roger]

Who is the enforcement authority and who will take responsibility and sort out the obvious dangers that I feel will get worse

Debate!

 

The 'parking' is the Council. They were negligent with the parking order (in fact there is no order ~ as alluded to by you) so it's a free for all in the area quoted.. If people squeeze in and park on the pavement then that's an obstruction. That's the cops job. Shop fitters have a job to do and parking on the pavement is in their job description so most people would live with that.

 

If people want to move off early from their free parking slot outside the Imperial (like the Audi mentioned) then they can't. It's a pedestrian zone until 16.30. Cops have control over that. 

 

If cyclists want to please themselves by trundling about in various directions in the controlled zone then that's the cops to sort out. 

 

The Police beat manager for that problem is Keith Ramone (WMP Website) and the Council guy is Councillor Rone I believe. Those people should probably be meeting. However I know that Keith is hobbling around at the moment with a broken leg and is out of action. Perhaps one of his supervisors could pull their finger out to address your concerns?

[Bilbobobby]

I see that at long last the pillar posts have been fixed at the Widemarsh entrance towards High Town. Perhaps that will stop 'random drivers' thinking they can enter the area on a whim. Next get a proper traffic order to prevent haphazard dangerous parking in a day time pedestrianised zone. (I see many business are putting a-boards out to stop vehicles parking on the paved areas). How much longer will this go on ?

[K.Butt]

I witnessed a man almost knocked to the ground by a cyclist yesterday morning, cyclist was riding on the footpath just by Saxty's he rode into a guy and just said sorry and carried on, the bloke was in a little shock, we asked if he was okay, he said yes but was expecting a bruised arm. 

[retrographics]

I see that at long last the pillar posts have been fixed at the Widemarsh entrance towards High Town. Perhaps that will stop 'random drivers' thinking they can enter the area on a whim. Next get a proper traffic order to prevent haphazard dangerous parking in a day time pedestrianised zone. (I see many business are putting a-boards out to stop vehicles parking on the paved areas). How much longer will this go on ?

after power loss on the widemarsh traffic lights last week,  the  piller  posts went to default setting and are down, and waiting to be reset or fixed ,   think its time to bring back the gates 

[twowheelsgood]

after power loss on the widemarsh traffic lights last week,  the  piller  posts went to default setting and are down, and waiting to be reset or fixed ,   think its time to bring back the gates 

 

Why don't they reset themselves? Ridiculous that we are hobbled with 20th century technology!

[the casual]

I see the council are finally getting around to introducing a Traffic Regulation Order. The latest HT says it might be in place by the end of June.

Seems amazing it has taken this long. Surely it's pretty simple to bring in?

[adamski]

No vehicles on Widemarsh Street today, apparently due to the football coach coming through.

My question is this, if it can be kept clear for this occasion, why not at all other times?

[Bilbobobby]

Normal service resumes today - random abandoned cars and vans - sooner they put in a traffic order the better...how many years have we been waiting!!