There’s still time for people who live, visit or work in Stratford-upon-Avon to have their say on proposed changes to the town centre.
Over the past six weeks, local residents, business owners and visitors have been invited to share their views on the proposed changes via a consultation, which closes on 5 June and is available online at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/ask.
In addition to the survey, people were given the chance to see and discuss the plans at a series of in-person events, which took place in Stratford town centre, and an online drop-in session.
Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council and Warwickshire County Council have been working with the Town Centre Strategic Partnership on ideas for what Bridge Street and High Street in Stratford-upon-Avon could look like in the future, building on ideas originally set out in Stratford’s Neighbourhood Plan.
Since the consultation opened in March we have received over 600 responses, with some valuable feedback being provided on the proposals.
The proposed changes to the town centre are:
- Closing High Street to traffic daily between 11am and 4pm and widening the pavements on both sides of the street.
- Creating a wide central walkway on Bridge Street to provide more space for pedestrians and a better connection between Henley Street and Waterside, using space created by narrowing the road, removing parking and relocating the taxi ranks to Union Street.
- Changing the shape of the Bridge Street / High Street roundabout to improve movement between Henley Street and High Street and a new pedestrian crossing through the centre of the roundabout will be provided to connect Henley Street to the central walkway.
- Creating more opportunities for pedestrians to safely cross the road. New courtesy crossings will be provided where drivers are expected to give way to pedestrians, and narrower roads, reduced kerb heights, lower vehicle speeds and less traffic will make it easier for pedestrians to cross in other locations.
- Retaining the temporary 20mph speed limit introduced in 2020 to support social distancing as part of the response to Covid-19.
- Providing more attractive surfaces and some planting.
Councillor Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning said: “It has been great to see so many people having their say on plans for the future of Stratford-upon-Avon town centre.
“These plans provide an exciting opportunity to transform the historic heart of Stratford and it is important that the public take up the opportunity to offer their thoughts and input on them.
“Our vision is a town centre which is vibrant and meets the needs of the local community, businesses and visitors, all while tapping into the town’s heritage.
“I would like to remind people that there’s still time for them to share their views via the consultation. These views are important to us and will help us make decisions on how we move forward with this project.”
Geraldine Collinge, Director of Creative Placemaking and Public Programmes at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and chair of the Town Centre Strategic Partnership, added: “It’s fantastic to see so many people have shared their views as part of the consultation, but we’d encourage anyone who hasn’t yet done so to have their say on the plans.
“The Partnership would like as many people as possible to contribute their thoughts in the consultation. The more voices we have, the more informed the final designs will be.
“All members of the Partnership worked together to help Warwickshire County Council create an initial plan, and it is vital the public has their say too.”
To find out more about the project and share your views on the proposals, visit: https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/
Providing your feedback electronically helps us to review your comments most efficiently, however if you would prefer a paper form, please call 01926 410410.