A WINCHESTER civic chief has today approved closures of two thoroughfares after two experiments and one closure could be extended into weekday evenings.

The Broadway and part of Colebrook Street will now permanently shut on Sunday for the street markets and Great Minster Street and The Square will close at the weekends.

The Square closure could now be extended into the weekday evenings, a decision meeting heard.

Action will be taken against drivers and food delivery riders who ignore the closure and drive around bollards on The Square including more CCTV and a permanent new traffic sign to stop the illegal access.

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Confirming the closures, Cllr Martin Tod, portfolio holder for economic recovery, said he had had positive feedback about both.

He thanked council officer Tracey Haskett for her work: "It has helped businesses, cut traffic, improved air quality, a big win for the city which would not have happened without your hard work."

Ian Tait, a former city councillor, addressing the meeting, said food delivery riders were continuing to use the route: "They can manoeuvre past the bollards and drivers now realise they can negotiate on both sides of the bollards."

But in general the closure had benefitted people living on Symonds and St Swithun Streets including the elderly residents of Christ's Hospital almshouses, said Mr Tait.

Parking on The Close has now reduced too with only the residents of Morley College almshouses using the space.

Andy Hickman, head of programme, said: "Drivers on Great Minster Street, we are aware of that and looking at ways of sorting it out. Ideally we would have liked to have put a bollard on the footway but there are underground cables. A smaller sign post will make it impossible for cars to go around the bollard.

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"On food delivery, we all know the company involved. We know they know they are undertaking the activity. The company structure is bizarre and it is difficult to find someone to talk to."

The meeting heard that both closures attracted two letters of support and one objection. On the Broadway there was an objection about increased traffic hazard on Colebrook Street. But the police told the council there had been no accidents recorded during the temporary and experimental closure since August 2020.

On the Square one objector said his taxi journey around North Walls was now longer and more expensive.

 

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