Town Centre Pedestrianisation Scheme

Rugby Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council are planning to spend £1 million (£500,000 each) on a larger civic space around the Clock Tower.

The plan proposes to close off North Street to through traffic but will still allow access for buses and taxis. We have serious reservations on the proposed scheme and believe that spending £1 million to remove one of the main arterial routes through the town just to provide a larger civic space around the clock tower, is a waste of tax payer's money and will result in severe traffic congestion and vehicle pollution on Park Road, Regent Street, Albert Street and Lawrence Sheriff Street.

Cllr Noreen New sought reassurances from the Leader of the Council, to ensure that the consultation would be fully inclusive and consider the views of the residents, not just some of the retailers who appear to support the scheme.

The consultation on the proposal to part pedestrianise the Town Centre is due to start this September.

UPDATE (31/08/2013): There will be exhibitions of the proposals and an opportunity to complete comment forms at all the County Council run Community Forums and at the following locations on the days and times shown:

• Thursday 26 September 2013 between 10am and 6pm at three locations - Town Hall, Clock Towers and Rugby Library.
• Saturday 28 September 2013 between 10am and 4pm at three locations - St Andrew's Church, Clock Towers and Rugby Library.

The web site for the proposals is now live www.warwickshire.gov.uk/rtcenhancement and this contains all the plans, supporting information and online survey. The consultation period formally runs from 26th September through to 25th October 2013.

UPDATE (19/09/2013): Bill Lewis has written a letter to the Rugby Advertiser and Rugby Observer regarding the proposed pedestrianisation scheme.

Do you agree with Rugby Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council that spending £1m of taxpayer's money, £500,000 by each authority, for a slightly larger civic space around the Clock Towers is value for money? Would the money be better spent on a bus interchange or on making other improvements that would encourage people into our town centre?