Still chance to help shape Stratford town centre makeover

The current consultation closes on June 5 and is available online at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/ask

Stratford Town Council and Warwickshire County Council have been working with the Town Centre Strategic Partnership on ideas for what Bridge Street and High Street in Stratford could look like in the future, building on ideas originally set out in the Neighbourhood Plan.

Since the consultation opened in March there have been more than 600 responses, with the controversy caused by temporary measures introduced during the pandemic still fresh in the memory.

The proposed changes to the town centre are:

- Closing High Street to traffic daily between 11am and 4pm and widening the pavements on both sides of the street.

- Creating a wide central walkway on Bridge Street to provide more space for pedestrians and a better connection between Henley Street and Waterside, using space created by narrowing the road, removing parking and relocating the taxi ranks to Union Street.

- Changing the shape of the Bridge Street / High Street roundabout to improve movement between Henley Street and High Street and a new pedestrian crossing through the centre of the roundabout will be provided to connect Henley Street to the central walkway.

- Creating more opportunities for pedestrians to safely cross the road. New courtesy crossings will be provided where drivers are expected to give way to pedestrians, and narrower roads, reduced kerb heights, lower vehicle speeds and less traffic will make it easier for pedestrians to cross in other locations.

- Retaining the temporary 20mph speed limit introduced in 2020 to support social distancing as part of the response to Covid-19.

- Providing more attractive surfaces and some planting.

County Cllr Wallace Redford, portfolio holder for transport and planning said: “It has been great to see so many people having their say on plans for the future of Stratford town centre.

“These plans provide an exciting opportunity to transform the historic heart of Stratford and it is important that the public take up the opportunity to offer their thoughts and input on them.

“Our vision is a town centre which is vibrant and meets the needs of the local community, businesses and visitors, all while tapping into the town’s heritage.

“I would like to remind people that there’s still time for them to share their views via the consultation. These views are important to us and will help us make decisions on how we move forward with this project.”

The RSC’s Geraldine Collinge is chair of the Town Centre Strategic Partnership and added: “It’s fantastic to see so many people have shared their views as part of the consultation, but we’d encourage anyone who hasn’t yet done so to have their say on the plans.

“The partnership would like as many people as possible to contribute their thoughts in the consultation. The more voices we have, the more informed the final designs will be.”

To find out more about the project and share your views, visit: https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/

If you would prefer a paper form, call 01926 410410.