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New bus routes revealed for St John's
TRAFFIC could be re-routed through the town centre as part of a £120,000 scheme to pedestrianise St John's Square.
Councillors will consider four options next week aimed at banning buses and taxis from the new plaza.
Following a Blackpool Council and Blackpool Transport investigation into the safety of the "shared space" concept in the square – where vehicles and pedestrians use an area without pavements or road markings – councillors vowed to rid it of traffic.
The preferred proposal would see traffic using the Market Street, Church Street and Corporation Street loop, with buses travelling up Clifton Street for the first time.
But the cost of additional bus stops and changes to junction would add up to 120,000.
There are four options, although one – to send buses down Topping Street – has been dismissed because the road is not wide enough.
Options two -proposed bus route 2 – above - and three - proposed bus route 3 – involve the Market Street, Church Street and Corporation Street loop, and Clifton Street and Market Street, with the preferred option - preferred proposal bus route 1 – above- being a combination of two and three.
It would see up to 20 buses an hour using Clifton Street where the one-way system would be reversed with traffic travelling eastbound towards Abingdon Street.
All four options will go before the council's executive committee when it meets on Wednesday March 10.
It is likely an experimental traffic order lasting 18 months would be used to introduce the pedestrianisation.
Council leader Coun Peter Callow said: "I think at St John's Square we have created an open space to be proud of which can be used for all sorts of events.
"I think we should make the best use of it and it's no secret I have wanted it to be traffic free.
"We will make an informed judgement." There is no timeframe but the council has said it wants the 4.7m St John's Square to become traffic free by the summer.
There has been controversy over the shared space concept of the square which sees pedestrians and traffic use the same area of open space rather than being separated by traditional pavements.
But some businesses fear banning traffic could reduce trade in that part of the town centre.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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