A second Promenade for Cheltenham?
It might not attract the boutiques and cafes, but ambitious plans have been revealed for a new Promenade in Up Hatherley.
The parish council’s five- year traffic plan envisages the section of Cold Pool Lane where it meets Hatherley Road as a block-paved zone with benches and trees. David Reynolds, chairman of the council’s highways group and architect of the scheme, said it would restore the feeling of an “old village street scene”.
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David Reynolds
“We would like to see this part of Cold Pool Lane become a pedestrian friendly zone, similar to the Promenade by Cavendish House,” he said.
“This could be achieved by suitable block paving and street furniture.
“Vehicles could be restricted to 20mph and, with seating and planting, it would be an attractive and calmer area where speeds are controlled and pedestrians feel safer.
“This project would also deter through traffic, but some vehicles would of course require access for loading and unloading and for residents to reach their homes.”
If the plans are given the green light, the new pedestrianised zone would include the village hall, the parish church and Coney Cree.
The route is a notorious rat run for commuters travelling between the A40 and the town centre. Mr Reynolds believes converting the road would act as a deterrent to through traffic. Other ideas in the traffic plan, which will be put to Gloucestershire Highways bosses, include pinch points in Hatherley Lane to cope with the proposed new Asda store, and lowering the speed limit of Up Hatherley Way from 40mph to 30mph.
Peter Griffin, who lives in Runnymede, has long called for a reduction in the limit.
He said: “It’s high time something was done about that road. I’ve spoken out about it before. It is technically a bypass, but people don’t appreciate they are very close to residential streets. It’s a danger when people are pulling out or trying to cross the road.
“Anything which could be done to change that would be very welcome.”
Stephen Burden, Gloucestershire Highways manager, said: “We received a copy of these plans from Up Hatherley Parish Council last week and we will look closely at what they are proposing.
4 Comments
by Irwin Schyster, Chelt
Thursday, February 11 2010, 9:55PM
“Is this so David Hall can build a care home in Cold Pool Lane”
by James, Up-Hatherley
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 6:39PM
“This is insane. As a local resident a few 10's of m's away from the area. I am totally opposed to this. So local people who live in the vicinity of Sedwick Gardens have to drive all the way over to the A40 or down to Morrisons and via the other end of Caernarvon road to get get access to Central Cheltenham, or even just to Lakeside School or the Spar?
This is exactly the sort of idea that wastes peoples time and money and gives local govenrment a bad name for sillyness. Maybe the recent economic mis-management seen by central Gov and Chelt Council actually has a good side....lets hope the impending spending cuts put a stop to this sort of madness and that money will be spent on real needed things.”
by ADie, Cheltenham
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 6:25PM
“Um, it's not a "Rat-run" it's a legitimate thoroughfare for ANYONE who drives ANY legal vehicle.
When are people, who live on roads, going to understand that these roads will in fact be used by....yep you guessed, vehicles!!!
The NIMBYS who complain about traffic really should go and live in a field somewhere...or go live on a road where there are real amounts of traffic, like the road I live on.
Do I whine and whinge like a NIMBY? No, I know vehicles were using it long before I arrived and they will use it long after I'm gone.
Whine whine whine is all I see in the Echo from certain Hatherley residants about traffic.
Move if you're so concerned about it.”
by Concerned local, Up Hatherley
Tuesday, February 09 2010, 5:51PM
“Hatherley Road functions as a RADIAL route from the centre to Cheltenham's effective 'RING road' (Up Hatherley Way and Grovefield Way).
As there are FEW such radials between the A46 (Shurdington Road) and the A40 (Gloucester Road), obstructing it with 'seating and planting' is simply unrealistic. Traffic would divert into unsuitable side-streets which Mr. Reynolds should be protecting.
Besides, a couple of weeks or so ago, Mr. Reynolds was also proposing to close the near-by radial route Hatherley Lane to through traffic (for Asda).”