Roads in Lichfield city centre are to be fully pedestrianised as part of a new trial.
Market Street, Conduit Street, Tamworth Street, Breadmarket Street and Bore Street will be closed to vehicles between 12noon and 9pm from 1st January 2023.
The trial will last 18 months and follows discussions between Lichfield District Council and Staffordshire County Council over how to make the city centre a “safe and vibrant” place for visitors.
The restrictions will join those already in place on Dam Street and Bird Street.
Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, said discussions had also taken place with business leaders, freight and delivery companies, emergency services, residents and visitors.
“Vehicle-free spaces make city centres more pleasant places to be – they are safer, have cleaner air and become more prosperous.
“This 18-month trial will give us invaluable feedback as we seek to make the long-called for pedestrianisation a permanent improvement to our beautiful city.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
During the experiment Staffordshire County Council and Lichfield District Council say they will monitor the Traffic Regulation Order put in place.
Blue badge parking bays will be provided in car parks at Bird Street and Lombard Street, with drivers also able to park for free in other council-run car parks if they display their badge.
More details about the pedestrianisation trial are available online.
This is absolutely fantastic news. Very long overdue for Lichfield. Looking forward to a more pleasant and safer city centre.
I have already banned myself from Lichfield, it is not motorist friendly, and it does not care about disabled motorists. I had a parking ticket (withdrawn after a complaint) their yellow vested bounty hunters are ticket mad, they have stopped disabled parking round the market too. Many people here in Burton share my views and stay away for the same reasons. Shopkeepers are losing a small fortune.
At long last, the council have done something about the dangers of trying to shop in Lichfield… Forever having to dodge drivers with no business in driving through town has long needed sorting out…Excellent!
The authorities should also monitor the traffic that goes to the back of McDonald’s… The walk from the back of Lloyd’s bank to the carpark is fraught with danger from deliveroo drivers racing back and forth in old bangers… Pedestrianisation will increase this traffic…
Roll on January 1st.
What are the disabled meant to do, if they can’t walk from one of the car parks? It’s bad enough that they lost the parking spaces around the Market Square without further restrictions.
About time best news of the day we can walk through town without getting wiped out by the blue badge brigade
Seems a bit sledgehammer.
According to the LDC website:
“36 Disabled Persons Parking Bays (DPPB) will be permanently relocated to Bird Street car park and Lombard Street car park. This arrangement has been reviewed and validated by AccessAble, a disabilty support consultancy and it ensures no net loss of designated car parking for Blue Badge holders.
Lichfield District Council contracted AccessAble to review the changes to blue badge parking that were required as part of the pedestrianisation strategy. AccessAble provided a full report confirming that the blue badge parking bays provision was appropriate.”
It’s seems odd that a disabilty support consultancy should be so favourable towards a proposal that is reducing access for the disabled. Is their report publicly available?
Why not allow disabled drivers to register their vehicles (like delivery drivers will) and still allow them to access parking closer to the shops?
Good We are finally getting there. Good riddance to the takeaway drivers who seem to have no understanding of the highway code in this country.
Saturday/Sunday with moving traffic and all the visitors around the market area was insane.
The pedestrianisation will be from 12 noon until 9pm every day so still options for drivers. Not quite accurate reporting LL
And yet again the disabled of Lichfield are made to feel like they aren’t welcome, it’s no wonder people are turning to other locations to shop – they city will be dead soon.
Will the pavement cafes be allowed to stay above the disabled once again.
I went in to Lichfield last Saturday at 1pm. Every car park was full. There were no special events on, just a normal Saturday afternoon. Whilst this a good idea I do have a slight concern at trying to increase visitor numbers and reducing car spaces while not improving public transport is a bit of a recipe for disaster. Time will tell.
The road has been their since medieval times and slowly the Lichfield people are pushed out disgusted total you can have my freeman of the city back
Yesterday a car drove from Market Street past McDonalds the wrong way turned down into the pedestrian area leading to Bore Street My husband and I could not believe it..Too many cars driving through the city centre making it so dangerous for pedestrians.
This needs to happen before someone gets hurt.
This is terrible news. This survey has been completely unfair. Very many of the disabled and elderly people have not been consulted as they are not online so had no information on survey and could not complete. The results would have been very different.
How are badly disabled people expected to access banks, dentists, opticians, audiologists and other essential services? The parking spaces offered are too far away from these essential services. It also means if they wish to park at nearest available car park to required service they would have to use far more petrol and time.
Liz the disabled will do what every other disabled person does throughout the country park and walk ride to the shops ? As it’s been stated 100’s of times you cannot park your car outside every shop now can you ? Not sure why there is the option on times it needs to be no cars 24/7
Great news. I hope this will eventually be extended to keep cars out of these streets in the mornings too.
Great news, and I hope the trial shows how much nicer the city centre will be without vehicles.
MEJ how did you use David Arthurs opticians? Please don’t tell me you drive and park out the front ? For too long the city centre has been abused by motorists and the council has finally acknowledged this and done something about it. Have you never heard of internet banking? It uses wires and other devices to connect you from home to the banks so there’s no need to park 6 foot from the door !!!!
It’s called change and unfortunately you’ll have to adapt your lifestyle to accommodate it.
Planning the final stage of turning Lichfield into an identikit City?
All these ‘But what about me?’ folk and all those ‘Poor me’ moaners are a perfect example of what is wrong with this country at the moment. We are a nation of soft belly lazy spongers. They just reek of entitlement. If they had the moon on a stick handed to them it wouldn’t be good enough. The world is changing and if you want our city centre to be viable and attract businesses and investment then it will require innovative ideas that work for the majority and not a minority. Get over yourselves or shop elsewhere / online.
It’s good news and hopefully will stop those that now take shortcuts from Boots straight down to Bore Street. It will be a much nicer center with fewer vehicles as now there seem to be so many driving through. As one of many residents who live in the center though, we do have access rights to our properties and I don’t recall being involved in the consultation at any point so presume those will continue as normal?
@Alica Fibmerchant, couldn’t agree more, and is exactly the point I’ve made elsewhere.
I was surprised to read that these restrictions are already in place on Dam Street and Bird Street ? If that’s the case I can’t these restrictions making ANY difference in the future ? The only cure is for the pedestrians to walk on the streets and bring the motorists to a STOP ? Come on people PEDESTRIANS means you’re in the right whilst walking NOT driving ?
Sarah Bailey where will they go to park outside the banks etc ? Tamworth? Think not it’s pedestrianised? Burton is the same ? Your comments are not valid and show your lack of understanding of the issue. You need to adapt and accept Lichfield isn’t the small city it used to be and it’s grown so big that what used to be the norm is no longer valid.
Well, typical intolerant responses from Mr Legs and others. I take it he has figures to support his tirade about pedestrians being ‘wiped out by the blue badge brigade’. If the world is indeed changing, as claimed, then it would appear to be at the expense of disabled people. So much for a civilised, inclusive society. I hope he enjoys walking in a fully pedestrianised city centre. Unfortunately many people don’t have that option. Still, they will have to adapt, ie go elsewhere.
It works for a lot of other places, so why not Lichfield?
So many cars drive through and I’m sure most of them shouldn’t be there.
It will be so much more pleasant without having to dodge cars, not to mention the pollution.
Bring it on.
According to people like Sarah Bailey the whole of Lichfields future business / trade / tourism/ hospitality etc should be held back because of disability access challenges that only impact on a small amount of the population. So a few people having precedence over the majority. Surely that’s reverse discrimination in action? Time to try harder and stop blaming others and blocking innovation and thriving city centres.
I have noticed as an outsider. But have lived in lichfield for over a year, that it seems to be that a more than a few people park in disabled parking and just walk off with no disability or with an impaired person at all. My partner is entitled to a blue badge but haven’t applied for it as I can’t believe how many people abuse it
Great news. Full pedestrianisation even for part time is long overdue but the council should consider effective checking of vehicles that will use the roads during the so called delivery slots.
Mr Legs, good name! You are obviously fortunate enough to have 2 strong legs. Perhaps if you suffer an accident or your mobility is reduced by age, you will be less disparaging of the “blue badge brigade”!
I’m mystified why you assume I use David Arthur’s opticians! There are opticians in other parts of the town some distance from Bird St car park.
With regard to your suggestion that everyone should use Internet banking, many transactions cannot be done this way. Is Mr Legs aware that we still have notes and coins in circulation? Cash is needed in certain circumstances. I would be interested to learn how many of the writers of positive comments regarding pedestrianisation are genuine Lichfield Council tax payers? Do they avisit and support Lichfield Cathedral and other historic buildings? Do they spend money in clothing, food, shoe and other shops and the Garrick Theatre? Sadly Debenhans, M & S, CCs Argos etc have now left. Will Wilko’s be next when people cannot drive there?
It sounds as if Mr Legs is one of the lucky ones who can walk unaided and for a distance…….do you think that the ‘ The Blue Badge Brigade ‘ as you describe us ( and I feel extremely upset and degraded by this remark) don’t want to be able to walk?…..I will freely swap my blue badge for your ability to walk independently to the shops and to shop all day long…..what a dream.….
Again Lichfield are discriminating against disabled people…..who, by the way, come in all sizes, shapes,colour, and ages….even youngsters can be (and are) disabled…….
My question is this…will cyclists be stopped from racing through the centre….I have witnessed cyclists speeding through certain paved areas the wrong way narrowly missing pedestrians….If you ban cars you have to ban cyclists.
MEJ my reference to David Arthur’s was an example that you cannot drive to every location to conduct your business? You cannot seriously expect full vehicular access throughout the city centre ? I’ve lived in Lichfield 57 years so I’m not some outsider who knows nothing about the city. It’s expanded beyond reality without any concerns for infrastructure or even disabled parking spaces. But you’ll just have to either go elsewhere or abide by the new system there is no other options.
I am totally DISGUSTED by people’s attitudes towards disabled members of the community & ‘the blue badge brigade’!! I’d like to see people such as ‘Mr Legs’ & ‘Alica Fibmerchant’ have to use a manual wheelchair for a day & have to access the city centre on their own & have to manage several shopping bags!!! I’m sure your attitudes would be a little different!! As a fully paid up member of the ‘blue badge brigade’ I would of liked to have been consulted about the plans so our views could be heard.
I can only imagine how unwelcome many disabled people must feel in our community reading some of the comments on here. No wonder so many shops in Lichfield are struggling to attract business when Lichfield is shown to be such an unfriendly place. If I were a business owner in the city, I’d be on here reassuring my valued, disabled customers that they were just as welcome as everyone else.
This will be fantastic for some disabled people. My disabled daughter will be able to shop more safely with her siblings and I without being constantly held on to for fear of being run over. My senior neighbour is also really looking forward to being able to get around safely on her walking frame after being dropped off. It’s currently too intimidating to do so for her to slowly get across the road and manage the traffic. Families will be able to safely walk with their children. Unfortunately some disabled car drivers will be affected but there will be many other disabled people who will benefit. I’m very happy about this.
Dizzylynny so blind people have to put up with the “Blue Badge Brigade” ? how’s that fair for them ? you just want everything and your playing the disability card on the scheme which works perfectly well throughout the UK. Cars and people don’t mix that’s the simple fact you fail to appreciate, other disabled people including my 84 year old mother have parked behind B&M for years and not moaned once yet you come on here and all of a sudden your the one hard done by ?….how will you feel when one of the Brigade knock someone over or like has happened before crashed through a shop window ?….luckily no one was standing on the pavement when this happened ?…..but wait your disabled so that makes it OK ?
Will this be policed unlike our pedestrianised town centre is at the moment?? I have seen a white van drive from Boots past Cafe Nero down the pavement to get to Bore Street. People were sitting outside having drinks. Half an hour later my husband was nearly run over by a stupid idiot driving down there as well. Two Saturdays in a row I have witnessed a young boy on a motorbike driving around the town and also driving down the pavement. So at the moment it’s not working at all and people are flouting the law. I just wondered why it will be closed to cars up until 9pm????? I often go into town of an evening after 6.30 and am able to park in town but that will now end. Might I suggest that barriers be put up on all the entrances into town at midday and people are employed to monitor this. Works well in Tenby during the summer.
O to be young and fit and active as we all once were when we were younger. However time passes quickly and with it comes illnesses and mobility problems that in our younger years we did not imagine having. however, luckily we were able to drive and were still able to get around and do our shopping and visit the Doctor and the Dentist and the Bank and all the other activities life requires, and with the help of ‘The Blue Badge’ do these things within the range our restricted mobility allows. But now this ability is gradually being eroded and with it comes difficulties we in earlier years did not envisage.
Whilst it is true we could order our Shopping online and do our Banking online we still need to visit the Dentist and get some cash from the Bank and perhaps go to the Library, all of which prove difficult if we have mobility problems and cannot Park close by these facilities.
Well said Jacqueline Ridgeway…..when one is young, one doesn’t envisage difficulty in mobility .My husband and myself have been shopping in Lichfield today everywhere was busy, which is good. We had to park in the multi storey car park but the few disabled spaces were taken, more disabled spaces are needed there. By the time I had walked from there to the market and bought some greengrocery and a few ‘odds and sods’ I could hardly make it back to the car….luckily my husband carried the bags, I couldn’t. I need a walking stick to help me, today I didn’t need an umbrella……Mr Legs have you ever walked a distance using a walking stick, carrying an open umbrella and shopping bags?.I bet not..I’m glad your mother can cope from behind B&M, good for her. A disabled person enjoys being able to go and choose,feel, try sizes and feel quality for real and be independent, also seeing other humans.Using the Internet is good..but don’t treat us as a different species, we are human too!
I just hope all those backing this scheme find themselves in a position to need a blue badge and nowhere to park, you’ll see the boot move to the other foot then !
This is great news. It will create a much better atmosphere that will draw more people to the city that don’t want to be dodging traffic whilst shopping, or have a drink outside in better weather.
Who is policing this policy? I spent 20mins in the market place at 1pm and at least 20 cars have past me.
Completely agree @Veteran ex army. I was in Lichfield the other day and several cars went past. Same old LDC. Zero enforcement. Zero clue.
The council have provided a new pedestrian only area in Lichfield so let’s now see it policed and let’s prosecute deliberate offenders. I am taking myself into Lichfield today and i hope to see a fully clear sign posted entrance to the street network that tells motorists NO ENTRY PEDESTRIANS ONLY. I will hold my breadth and i expect I will see multiple cars ignoring the new law and no enforcers.
Anyone bother to follow the link to the details of the trial and read about how enforcement and penalty notices (if any) will be issued, as well as how the trial will be evaluated? Or are we all just getting triggered and angry again.
Hi, im moving to a flat on bird street (near eastern eye) just wondered how i will get my furniture delivered? there is no rear access so would need to be via bird street. any advice is welcome
Why not make the length of Frog lane and Wade Street Disable Parking only(with Possible 3-4 Limit)This would deter people from going out for the day ie,Trains, Buses, and Coaches.Able bodied people would then have to use the muti- story car park.
Trevor Morrison. Are you not aware that Wade Street and Frog Lane have 30 minute waiting limits?