Old Town improvements

The council has launched a  consultation on proposals for improving the Old Town for the hundreds of thousands of people that walk through the area year each year. On a typical Saturday 600 pedestrians come into the Old Town through East Street alone. Originally the heart of the old fishing town of Brighthelmstone, the Old Town has developed since the 13th century and retains its original  pattern of narrow streets, which was not designed for the volume and type of traffic currently using it.

Existing traffic flows

The aim of the consultation is to get  views on ways of reducing traffic while still allowing essential vehicle users to access the area.

PROPOSALS

OPTION A

Option A would restrict vehicles from accessing any of the Old Town unless they have a specific reason for being there, for example they are delivering to a business, are a resident, parking for shopping, taxi or an emergency service.

OPTION B

Option B would allow vehicles to continue to come into the area with overall vehicle flow reduced by using restrictions designed to deter through traffic. In addition the section of Prince Albert Street between Black Lion Street and Ship Street would become traffic-free, and East Street would become an ‘access only’ area.

There will be an unstaffed exhibition in the foyer of Bartholomew House from 23 May to 29 June and staffed exhibitions at the Friend’s Meeting House in Ship Street on Thursday 14 June, 12 noon–8pm and Saturday 16 June, 9am–5pm and at Bartholomew House, Bartholomew Square, Thursday, 28 June, 8.45am–4.45pm.

You can comment on the proposals by completing the consultation survey. The survey will be open until the beginning of July.

Old Town traffic improvement proposals.