31 Aug 2023
Controversial road closures in St Albans city centre are coming to an end in some streets – as predicted by the St Albans Times last week.
Under new plans announced by Herts county council, High Street will reopen to traffic as normal, with the gates remaining in place to enable quick and easy conversion to public space for special events.
George Street will be closed to motor vehicles on Saturdays and Sundays, and the prohibition of motor vehicles and restricted parking zone in Market Place, Spencer Street and Upper Dagnall Street will be made permanent.
Cllr Phil Bibby, executive member for highways and transport at HCC said: “Although we originally introduced the measures in Market Place to help during the pandemic, the friendlier and safer environment they’ve created in St Albans city centre has proved popular with visitors and traders, so it makes sense to make those measures permanent.
“However, we’ve listened to residents and businesses, and it’s clear that the closures on High Street and George Street aren’t working the way we’d hoped. We’ll continue monitoring traffic, air quality and footfall in the area to see how they’re affected by reopening these roads.
“We’re committed to creating a cleaner, greener and healthier Hertfordshire and it is essential that we continue to support local businesses by investing in high quality, people-friendly streets and spaces. We will continue to work with the community on upcoming projects to help walking and cycling along Marlborough Road and improving bus provision along St Peter’s Street and Victoria Road.”
Cllr Lynn Cunningham, vice-chair of SADC public realm committee added: “Market Place is home to a great many independent businesses including cafés, bars and restaurants and a fantastic market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
“At Market Place, we will create a much safer and more attractive environment and enable more people to walk, wheel and cycle in and around the city centre. It is the right decision to listen to local businesses and visitors to end the trial on High Street, yet maintain the flexibility to once again close it off to traffic for special events when we can properly make use of the space.”
HCC now intends to make traffic regulation orders to implement these changes. The existing measures will remain in place while the legal steps are carried out, which may take several months to implement.
Last week SADC leader Cllr Chris White told the St Albans Times the closures were due to be lifted: “I can’t really comment on George Street because it’s incredibly complicated, but once the businesses in High Street fell out of love with it, it was a non-starter there. So at some point in the next small number of weeks, High Street will open up, reserving the right to shut it for special occasions like the Alban Weekend.
“The jury is out whether the traffic displacement really took place. I think a lot of people perceived it did but some of that was traffic coming back after Covid, some of it was just bad driving and so forth. But the whole purpose of the trial was to make this fabulous for all businesses, and of course we achieved that with Market Place.”
