Pedestrian plan branded 'idiotic'
A PLAN to partially pedestrianise Ilfracombe High Street has been described as idiotic and confusing.
Many residents and business owners say the proposals in the draft Ilfracombe Transport Masterplan could kill trade in the town centre and force traffic into other areas.
But one of the plan's contributors believes pedestrianisation could revitalise the High Street and give business a much needed boost.
Last Friday more than 150 people attended a consultation event hosted by Ilfracombe town and district councillor Mike Edmunds at a disused High Street shop.
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The event was the first airing of the plan, which was commissioned by Ilfracombe Town Council's regeneration board and produced by Devon County Council.
The plan proposes that the High Street becomes partially pedestrianised between 11am and 5pm in the summer season, though specific dates are not defined.
The pedestrian area would run between the junctions of Northfield Road and Springfield Road and between the junctions of Oxford Grove and Fore Street. Buses would be allowed to travel through High Street in both directions but no parking would be allowed within the pedestrian area.
After the event many residents vented their frustrations on the town council's Facebook page. Most said the proposals were ill-considered, idiotic, confusing and unfeasible.
Ilfracombe town councillor Rod Donovan, who was one of the main contributors to the plan, said: "The vision is to turn the High Street into a mini Atlantic Village, a place where people can wander around without fear of being knocked over by a car."
You can view the draft Ilfracombe transport masterplan at www.this isnorthdevon.co.uk/ilfracombetrans port. To respond to the plan, e-mail mike.edmunds@northdevon.gov.uk
3 Comments
by LanternView
Friday, March 01 2013, 12:39PM
“It was such a weak plan that I wonder whether it was just a stalking horse sent in to generate some better ideas .. it was quite a success in that respect.”
by Tony_Olsson
Thursday, February 28 2013, 11:29PM
“Like Jemma I cannot obtain the masterplan using the address in the Journal. The one on this page has a space in it which shouldn't be there, but it still doesn't work if you remove the space.
Why is Rod Donovan still an Ilfracombe Councillor? His comments above and in the Journal are puerile. What does it matter that the consultation was held in a "shabby old shop"? What matters is that the information was provided. It was cramped, but the information was there. The plain fact is the proposals are rubbish, as anyone studying the map could see. What was wrong was that comments were not recorded in the shop, but visitors were requested to add their comments to the on-line plan.
To suggest that Ilfracombe High Street could become another Atlantic Village shows Mr Donovan is living in cloud cuckoo land. It's as bad as the amateurish redevelopment scheme he and Council colleagues dreamt up for the bus station site, which is still a shambles years later.
The Ilfracombe plan refers to a population of 11400. The last census give a figure of 17800, and an earlier DCC survey in 2009 gave a population of 19136. When the plan says Ilfracombe needs to grow to 15000, you know we are in trouble. I've posted my comments about the population on the plan, but Ilfracombe Council has not responded to one email and one letter on the subject. Are they too embarrassed to admit they are working from out of date figures?”
by jemma14
Thursday, February 28 2013, 2:00PM
“Have tried to view draft ilfracombe transport masterplan at http://tinyurl.com/cw4u9y3 but 'no page'.”