New road plan ‘will cause gridlock’
Wednesday 19th May 2010, 10:52AM BST.
A new gyratory system in Oswestry town centre will lead to gridlock, reduce pedestrian safety and damage the character of the market town, campaigners said today.
J Ross Developments has put forward plans to alter the traffic layout in Oswestry town centre as part of its revised planning application for a superstore and cinema on the Central Car Park.
The gyratory system would route traffic one way around Salop Road, Cross Street and Blackgate Street.
But a residents’ group and the national campaign group CPRE say the scheme should be thrown out by council planners.
Peter Lloyd, secretary of the Trinity Residents Group said: “The original plans would have led to excruciating congestion on Salop Road but now the applicants want to disperse traffic away from Salop Road into the network of small streets that surround the town centre.
“At peak times 546 vehicles will leave the store site every hour — one every six seconds. Even the new gyratory system the developers propose will become gridlocked. This will reduce the safety of pedestrians and cyclists and it is vital that this scheme is rejected by county planners.”
Chairman of CPRE Oswestry, Mike Bullen, said: “The developers could have produced plans that added to the character and viability of the town. Instead, they have designed a development that will generate so much traffic it will choke the life out of the town.”
Nick Scott of J Ross Dev-elopments said: “We have carefully planned the rev-ised scheme proposals, following extensive discussions with the local highways authority and local stakeholders, including local residents groups. The measures we have adopted will help route traffic away from residential areas, reducing through traffic and help to improve the amenity and safety of residents living in the town centre.”
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