Residents In two minds over one-way road plans
Views of the public will have to be taken into account before Newport Town Council can throw its influence behind calls to turn three roads into one-way streets, a meeting was told.
A resident of the town has called for Water Lane, Beaumaris Road and Avenue Road to be made into one-way streets and the issue was on the agenda for a meeting of the town’s Community Safety Committee.
“I think we need to get all our ducks in a row before we make a formal request to Telford & Wrekin Council,” said Councillor Thomas Janke at the meeting on Wednesday (April 23).
Councillor Janke, who is a dual councillor on both the town council and Telford & Wrekin Council, added that they needed to “get a feel for public consensus”.
The meeting was told that previous bids for one way streets in the town had failed because of a lack of consensus. They need to have a high level of public support.
In Beaumaris Road a high but not universal number of residents wanted a one way street imposed. But they could not agree in which direction the traffic should flow, councillors were told.
Councillor Tim Nelson, who also represents the town on both councils, urged his colleagues to be aware why the previous bids were thrown out by Telford & Wrekin Council.
“It’s fine to make the request but it is pointless to make the request if we get exactly the same results as last time,” said Councillor Nelson.
“It is mad to do the same thing and expect a different result.”
He said that in Beaumaris Road the town council led a door-to-door consultation.
“Avenue Road was about 95 per cent, everybody wanted a one-way road,” said Councillor Nelson.
“Beaumaris Road was not universal. It was high, 60-70 per cent maybe but it wasn’t universal.
That was an issue in itself but the second issue was – the residents were not in agreement which direction to go.”
He said the committee should consider ‘what has changed’ to make the plan acceptable to Telford & Wrekin Council.
“Is it now universal in Beaumaris Road?” asked Councillor Nelson.
“And does everyone agree that it should be one way and exiting by Costcutter or the other way and exiting by New Street.
“If it isn’t we’ll get knocked back.”
In Avenue Road, Councillor Nelson recalled that the issue was that a one-way street would encourage people to “drive faster.”
“I think making the request is still fine but let’s live in reality; what’s changed? If something’s changed then that is good news but I just want us to be aware of that,” he said.
The committee decided to consider how to proceed at its next meeting when councillors would have had the chance to take a measure of public opinion.
Story by David Tooley – Local Democracy Reporter
Pic: Beaumaris Road – Google Maps
