News story

6th September 2004

MP Opposes Plans for North Road

Speaking after a meeting with North Road postmaster John Swindell, Northavon MP Steve Webb has spoken out against plans for junction changes which could damage the Post Office business. He also criticised the Council for circulating a proposed junction change before the school most affected had even had a chance to comment. The MP has now written to the Director of Planning to ask him to "rip up" the plans and start again by listening to the school, to local residents and to Mr Swindell.

Under plans that have been circulated by WS Atkins on behalf of the Council, a section of North Road at the junction with The British would be narrowed by widening the pavement. The plan is intended to make it safer for vehicles to turn out of the The British and also to make it safer for children to walk down North Road to the school. It is also envisaged that parents who drive their children to school would be encouraged to park in Broad Lane and walk their children down the road.

But Steve Webb has now queried whether the proposed alteration would actually make things better. He said:

"With a narrower road at this point, the potential for more traffic congestion and more accidents is probably increased. In addition, parking restrictions would be likely to deprive the post office of the passing trade on which it depends. The Post Office already suffers when roadworks lead to restricted parking around the shop, and if this was made permanent, the business could close. The Council should work constructively with the school, the post office and local residents to develop proposals that will encourage walking to school but without the chaos that would result from this idea".

Steve Webb said he had spoken to staff at North Road School who said that the first they knew of the proposed changes to the junction was when local residents came in with letters they had received from WS Atkins. The school had been holding its own meetings to consider how to encourage children to walk to school but none of these had seen what the Council were planning for the junction.