Winchester Access Plan Exhibition this Friday and Saturday
People who live and work in and around the city centre are being asked their views on a draft Town Access Plan for Winchester, and the proposed High Street maintenance and improvement scheme.
A public exhibition is being held at Winchester Guildhall in the Saxon Suite this Friday 7 March from 1pm to 6pm, and Saturday 8 March from 10am to 1pm. If you can’t make it to the exhibition, complete an online questionnaire at www.winchester.gov.uk/winchestertownaccessplan.
The Winchester Town Access Plan (WTAP) and the High Street project are being developed by Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council.
The WTAP will follow on from the Winchester Movement and Access Plan developed in the early 1990s, and aims to preserve and enhance the city’s streetscape whilst encouraging economic prosperity and improving accessibility for all.
The County Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Cllr Mel Kendal, said: “There has been a great deal of effort in developing these two major projects and we are keen to get views on them at an early stage.
“It’s important that we gather the views of the wider public as well as those who live and work in and around the area, in order to ensure the final plan is as comprehensive and as practical as possible in addressing how the accessibility to and around the city can be maximised.”
Cllr Keith Wood, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transport at the City Council, said: “The City Council is delighted to be working jointly with the County Council on this Plan. We are very keen to hear about the transport issues that people face so we can begin to see how these will affect existing policies and practices and future projects such as the south of Winchester park and ride. The results will also inform decisions about the infrastructure elements of the Local Development Framework, as they affect Winchester Town.”
The exhibition will explore a number of issues such as walking and cycling, public transport, traffic management, parking, ‘shared space’ environments, and their desired affects over the next 10-20 years.
At the same exhibition plans will be on display for the High Street maintenance and improvement scheme that are proposed for 2009/10. The High Street project is being considered in three phases:
- Phase 1: Temporary works to the bus running area along the High Street/Middlebrook Street and St George’s Street. This area will be temporarily renewed with a bitumen material.
- Phase 2: Refurbishment/repaving of the High Street between Jewry Street and Middlebrook Street during 2009/10.
- Phase 3: Repaving of the lower High Street including the bus running area (phase 1) as part of the Silver Hill redevelopment.
To request a paper copy of the questionnaire, please call 01962 848255. The consultation is open until 31 March.