Hopes for end to one-way confusion in Cheltenham

“Once Boot's Corner was restricted to peds/buses/taxis/cyclists only-it was always the intention to return the whole length of Clarence St/North Place & Albion Street back to two-way traffic for no other reason than to allow easier access for buses approaching the town centre from the east. This would save them time being forced to circulate around the Inner Ring. It also makes sense to make the Inner Ring outside the Town Hall 2-Way as well for easier access to Regent Arcade from the Promenade. People with Sat-Navs should have no problems finding there way around Cheltenham--it's simple really!”

“I have lived in Gloucester and Cheltenham all of my life.
Born in Gloucester, moved to Cheltenham when I was ten, moved back to Gloucester in early twenties.
It has amused me from as long ago as 1966, that people have regarded Cheltenham's one way system as complicated. In those days, it was quite radical, but heck it worked. You only needed to go round once, and it was so easy.
I've been to more complicated systems in tiny towns like Ambleside and others!”

“what an utter waste of 5 million pounds!!!”

“Raidermanuk, I'd also leave 'Boots Corner' as it is.
And if Albion Street were two-way, where would the florist leave his van all day?
And has anyone seen it at chucking-out time on a race day? Imagine two lanes of gridlocked traffic made into one.

Cheltenham's traffic system may have its faults, but it works well enough. We tamper with it at our peril.

From the Royal Mail website:
"Lace Nightclub, 33-35 Albion Street, GL52 2LT."
"Debenhams plc, Albion Street, GL52 2RG."”

“@Nogman - most of those shops aren't on Albion Street, and those that are are either unappealing or niche and are of no draw to almost all shoppers.

Chicken Inn - Portland Street
Leisure Lakes - Pittville Street
Lace nightclub - High Street
Debenhams - Beechwood Arcade

Boots - High Street
Kashmir Indian restaurant/takeaway,
Embassy - Gone
JJ's printing and punk/goth clothing,
Cheesman's photographers
Radio and TV shop (always looks closed)
William Hill's betting shop
Fabric shop,
Masala Indian Restaurant & Tiffin house,
Dry cleaners and clothing alterations,
Florist,
Needlecraft shop,
Butlers' clock restorers,
American comic shop,
Hairdresser,
Williams' bicycle and pram shop,”

“From memory:
Boots,
Kashmir Indian restaurant/takeaway,
Embassy,
Chicken Inn,
Angora Turkish restaurant,
Leisure Lakes,
Lace nightclub,
JJ's printing and punk/goth clothing,
Cheesman's photographers
Radio and TV shop,
William Hill's betting shop
Fabric shop,
Masala Indian Restaurant & Tiffin house,
Dry cleaners and clothing alterations,
Florist,
Needlecraft shop,
Butlers' clock restorers,
American comic shop,
Hairdresser,
Williams' bicycle and pram shop,
Debenhams.
That enough?
That doesn't include vacant shops, nor whatever is planned for the old Haines & Strange site and the Coliseum redevelopment.
If the street were made more attractive for pedestrians, it would also attract more businesses, and might encourage investment in smartening it up (particularly the rotten wood canopy in front of some of the shops, whose imminent collapse I'm anticipating with bated breath).

And it's not confusing because at least people know it's one-way. Sherborne Place is one-way for most of its length, with a two-way bit at one end, and that seems to confuse a lot of people - especially bicycle riders, who don't seem to notice the No Entry signs at all.”

“Nothing here for cyclists then?

Authorities ignore cyclists, and so cyclists ignore authorities.”

“Looking at the map, how would making Albion Street 2 way work... you cant access the (currently non existant) direction on Albion Street as St Johns Ave is listed as 1 way?? Unless traffic would be directed up through St James Street as present... hmmm this all sounds a little complicated and pointless just to access Beechwood Arcade, when all it takes is a little detour down to Blockbusters Road to get there?”

“"The one-way system is not confusing"

Really? Ask any visitor to the town what they think.

"....Albion Street (which has almost as high a density of shops as the High Street)"

Are you talking about Albion St in Cheltenham? There's only a scattering of shops along its entire length.

As both a pedestrian and driver I'd leave Boots corner as it is. Shoppers happily queue up to pay in shops so why is it a problem to "queue" at Boots corner for a minute until the lights change?”

“Albion Street has a high density if shops? Really? What are they? A bike shop and those crummy little junk shops opposite Debenhams? That suggestion would just create the same situation we have between The Brewery complex and the town centre - you have to go through some really ****** areas to get to them.”