A rethink is needed due to the “real mess” caused by the pedestrianisation of Lichfield city centre, a councillor has said.
New hybrid rules mean that blue badge holders, delivery drivers and permit holders can access city centre roads on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
From 9pm to midday on other days all vehicles will be restricted from the area with the exception of those delivering for business and those accessing off-street parking facilities.
But the changes also led to criticism from local businesses who had been told they would need to remove tables and chairs on days when cars and other vehicles were permitted.
The move saw Lichfield District Council’s leader, Cllr Doug Pullen, step in to prevent officers taking enforcement action he said would “put our hospitality economy at risk”.
Cllr Sue Woodward, leader of the Labour opposition group, said the situation was an example of why the local authority needed to go back to the drawing board on the new rules.
“The whole pedestrianisation project in Lichfield – from car parking changes and charges to the so-called ‘hybrid’ of part-time access – is becoming a real mess.
“It is time to listen, to stakeholders and council members, and take time out for a rethink.”
Cllr Sue Woodward, Lichfield District Council
The latest hybrid rules have been introduced after a previous plan to completely ban traffic on all days met with opposition from groups including disabled drivers unhappy at the removal of on street blue badge bays.
Will this be the re-re-re-think then? They appear to be in a constant state of uncertainty and confusion on this scheme. I don’t know of anywhere else that has different rules on different days. “From 9pm to midday on other days” – so does that mean access is available after midday until 9pm?
Does Sue Woodward ever offer solutions?
Wouldn’t it be better to just say NO VEHICLES between 9am -5pm
why shoumd there be any issues with that
Smacks of trying to please everybody buy pleasing nobody. Over thought, non-committed, poorly communicated and badly executed. All the hallmarks of LDC!
Please LDC pick one policy and stick to it!!!
It looks like ‘all or nothing’ is all Joe public will ever understand.
@Cinema Insider….. No I don’t think she does. Labour like luxuriating in opposition and run a mile from any actual meaningful responsibility. It’s much easier that way.
As I see it, it will be more dangerous, people can come in any time of the day for delivering and off road parking
The other times you will need a calendar and watch to sort it out.
I can not see how it can be solved with no access to the rear of all the shops and business’s
There will be no safe time
It’s either a pedestrian area or it isn’t. Restrict deliveries but stop all other car users, including those that have parking above the arcade.
An absolute b@lls up from start to finish. LDC have changed their minds so many times I’m not even sure if they know what’s going on themselves. Not even sure their information is correct as I’m pretty sure that Thursday through to Sunday 12 noon – 9pm no vehicles other than residential users who need to access off road parking should be entering the town centre however their own information is vague leaving blue badge users to interpret it that they can enter. LDC sort it out!
LDC do not follow The Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality & Human Rights Commission where ALL people, including those with disabilities are given EQUAL access to ALL facilities. This is discriminatory. How many times do they have to be told. This is not an LDC choice, it is laid down in law – ie The Equality Act 2010. How do they get away with it?? There exists numerous files of photographic evidence of Lichfield being a ??DYNAMIC?? City. Photos taken on numerous different days, including Fridays and Saturdays and at different times showing LACK OF SHOPPERS, LACK OF PEDESTRIANS in all parts of the City. Where are the HORDES of shoppers that Pedestrianisation are supposed to attract?? Lichfield should be organised for LOCAL PEOPLE first and foremost, then visitors to keep our retail truly alive. LDC, by its 18 month trial of madness is killing what little retail business there is left in Lichfield and causing Blue Badge holders to go elsewhere to park and shop.
Quick response to Cinema Insider: yes I do and so do my Labour colleagues.
So Sue Woodward, whats the solution?
@Barbara Disgusted, very well said, if the shops didn’t disabled access they would be prosecuted by the council, so what’s the difference
It would actually be good to hear some positive solutions from both Labour and the Liberal Democrats on these issues that have been blighting the district for so long. We know this particular issue is a mess but it joins a long list of similar messes. If Labour in particular want to take power one day then they will be inheriting a lot of significant problems that the Conservatives have created in LDC and having confidence and knowing there are plans and positive solutions would be a huge help. At the moment all we see is a huge mess at LDC and some criticism and finger pointing from the opposition parties. We want to see lights at the end of these long tunnels the Conservatives keep creating for the district. I don’t think that is too much to expect from the 2 parties who enjoyed such success at the last local elections. Talking about change is one thing, delivering it is a lot harder and having a belief that it can be delivered is harder still these days.
Just bite the bullet & pedestrianise the city centre. Other towns & cities did this years ago & have flourished as a consequence. Dissent is a necessary ingredient of change in a democracy; it’s incumbent on leaders to listen to that dissent but also take decisions that improve things for the majority. And pedestrianisation will do that.
If you stop all vehicles going into the area, there will be no problems, as there will be no shops, as they will have no goods to sell, will end up a ghost area,
Some problems were sorted out when vehicles were controlled outside McDonald’s