During the summer, the council responded to the COVID-19 crisis by providing more space for walking and cycling on community roads to support social distancing. This included using temporary barriers to widen pavements and provide bike lanes. We have been flexible with our approach and we have been listening to suggestions from local people for improvements to support high streets and help people get around safely both during the pandemic and in the long-term.
The council has now secured further funding from the government’s Active Travel Fund to provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists while public transport capacity is reduced. As a result, we are now looking for suggestions on how we can change a number of busy neighbourhood roads and high streets around the city, including Princess Victoria Street.
We are aiming to:
- Maximise enjoyment of the areas being considered
- Minimise rat running
- Improve access for all
- Create more liveable neighbourhoods with less traffic congestion and pollution.
The government funding must be used to improve cycling and walking journeys. Changes could include:
- Consistent or timed traffic restrictions to stop motorists cutting through community hubs
- Changes to the road layout or direction
- Wider pavements
- New bike lanes
We are keen to hear local views before drawing up any detailed proposals. The council’s aim is to ensure any change to the street environment benefits the community as a whole and supports businesses to stay and thrive in the area with increased footfall.
Below is a survey asking local people to think about Princess Victoria Street, what is working well and what could be improved in terms of the street environment. At this stage we are considering all ideas and feedback from local people and we would also like your views on some initial suggestions that have been submitted by the community. All other options for improvements will still be considered.
Your suggestions and feedback will help us design improvements to the street that will work for everyone. Temporary changes may be put in place following this detailed engagement but any permanent changes would be subject to a public consultation. We will be back in touch to explain next steps for implementing any changes after we have considered all the feedback.