Somerset Council has agreed to review the implementation of a new one-way system in Bridgwater along with local parking arrangements. The Government-funded Celebration Mile scheme, inherited from the former Sedgemoor District Council involves one-way systems which have been introduced on Salmon Parade and East Quay. Somerset Council Members at this week’s Full Council meeting voted on a Labour motion to launch an immediate review of these. This will also consider the reinstatement of parking on Salmon Parade, which has been removed as part of the project.
The decision, based on an amended motion proposed by Councillor Leigh Redman (Labour, Bridgwater North)Cllr , follows concerns raised by businesses, residents, the Bridgwater Town Deal Board, the Town Council and local Somerset Council Members, as well as petitions submitted by businesses and the public, calling for the one-way system to be reversed.
Executive agrees shift
Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning and Assets, Councillor Mike Rigby (Lib Dem, Lydeard) said: “We have heard the frustration of many Bridgwater residents concerning the Salmon Parade and East Quay elements of the Celebration Mile. Normally these sorts of changes take time to bed in, but we accept that local people want us to look again at this, and that is what we have agreed to do. If it’s possible to make this better by making changes then we will of course do that, that’s what the review will look at. To be clear, it will consider reinstating parking on Salmon parade at the earliest opportunity, as well as reviewing the direction of one-way traffic on both Salmon Parade and East Key, while prioritising pedestrian safety at the Eastover Town Bridge Junction. It is important to recognise that the core objective of the project was pedestrian safety through the town centre, as well as improving the viability of town centre businesses by improving the shopping and visitor experience.”
Outcomes of the review will be based on evidence and engagement with stakeholders and it will return to the Council within four months with a report and timetable for implementation. Eastover, along with Angel Place and Clare Street are also important elements of the Celebration Mile project. As well as a one-way system in Eastover, new wider pavements have been created to improve the public space using high quality paving materials, along with the addition of new street furniture, lighting and planters. The completed project also forms an active travel route connecting the railway station to the Docks, which are in line for regeneration, also funded by the Town Deal.
Petition
A petition of over 5,000 names organised by Conservative group leader Cllr Diogo Rodrigues (Con, Bridgwater East) was presented to the meeting and a large gathering of Bridgwater residents turned up to support it. The petition called for the restoration of parking on Salmon parade and the restoration of 2-way traffic on Salmon Parade and East Quay. Members of the public spoke passionately about the traffic chaos caused by the one way system and the negative effect on business.
Labour councillors spoke in favour of the petition with Town Council Leader Cllr Brian Smedley (Labour, Bridgwater South) calling on the Lib Dem led county council to “Listen to the people of Bridgwater”. The Lib Dems spoke against the petition and the Chair ruled that county procedure prevented a vote. The Tory petition looked doomed to fail.
Compromise Motion
Cllr Smedley explained “Had the vote been put it would have been voted down by the majority Lib Dems, although we would still have supported it. However, we already had a fallback position for that eventuality.” This came in the form of a compromise motion by Labour Group Leader Cllr Leigh Redman. After a short recess during which Cllr Redman consulted with senior Lib Dems he came back with a proposal to review the Celebration Mile but pointed that review in the direction of the petition. This was found acceptable and when put to the vote was carried by the combined weight of Lib Dem, Labour, Green and Independent with the Conservatives and Reform councllors voting against.
Cllr Redmans motion read as follows
“Council has heard the frustration of many Bridgwater residents concerning the Salmon Parade and East Quay elements of the Celebration Mile project.
Somerset Council agrees to review this element of the project, recognising the core objective being pedestrian safety throughout the town centre and supporting the viability of town centre businesses by improving residents experience of town centre shopping.
After listening to local members and the Bridgwater Town Deal board, Council agrees to a review that considers:
– reinstating parking on Salmon Parade at the earliest opportunity
– Reviewing the direction of one way traffic on both Salmon Parade and East Quay
– While prioritising pedestrian safety at the Eastover Town Bridge junction.
Outcomes of this review to be based on evidence and engagement with stakeholders, and to return to Council within 4 months with a report and a timetable for implementation.”
Positive Result
After the meeting Cllr Smedley said “The motion includes the key elements of the petition just reworded in a way that would get it passed and wasn’t seen as just a political challenge to the ruling Lib Dem group, who were the ones who would make the final decision. In the motion it calls for restoring parking, reviewing the traffic flow-which can include two way, prioritising pedestrian safety at the bridge junction and crucially accepts that evidence be sought and engagement with stakeholders essential. It also meets county procedural requirements of a 4 month review. Town Council has been asking for such an engagement since the celebration mile was completed in October but they have failed to set a date. This now compels them to do that engagement and we will put this to the Town Councilmeeting tomorrow and move this on as quickly as we can with everybody working together and crucially involving our Town Council and our partner organisations.”
During the debate the Tory group repeatedly accepted that the original scheme, devised during the days of Tory controlled Sedgemoor was ‘wrong’ and they ‘accept that’.
Cllr Mike Rigby, the all powerful portfolio holder, now seconded the motion and said “There are Minimum timescales involved which we have to follow. Each decision needs elements of public consultation. We only have 8 weeks of data and there has to be a 4 month timescale. This is a good motion which allows us to go away and consider what people have said today but also to work with stakeholders such as the town council. Traders are understandably concerned. But we had the same situation in Taunton where a project agreed by an outgoing Tory council fell to a Lib dem council to implement. Fortunately those \Tory councillors had the bottle to stand by their scheme and co-operate with the new council. All new schemes take some time to settle in, we have to give it a little more time. If changes are required we’ll make them, but not on the back of a petition put forward by the leader of.”
Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts (Lib Dem, Taunton) thanked cllr Redman for the motion which she described as “a reasonable way forward, complies with rules and regulations and involves stronger communication with the town council”
Leigh Redman summed up “This isn’t perfect. My proposal was to try to find a way forward. The Exec member agrees to implement this as soon as possible. Especially the parking. The only possible outcome without this motion was yes or no to the petition. and the likely majority would be no. So my motion talks about 2 way and parking. I’ve tried to introduce an opportunity here. It doesn’t exclude a return to original. If we go with yes or no there won’t even be a review. My motion gets the ruling group to agree to a review. Within councils processes. I Would love it to be done tomorrow but with the best will in the world a review means that sense prevails and we’ll get a new system out of it. I ask people to support the motion as its the best option on table.”
The vote was won. There will be a review. Town Council will also be able to have its say.
Nick, so you saw what happened and you know that the Lib Dems weren’t going to accept the Tory petition. Labour could have withdrawn it’s motion and let the petition vote fail or, as Leigh did, discuss a way forward which still kept the options in the petition open. That was chosen and passed. The Tories then voted against that instead of supporting it.
It did not look good Brian, this nod to beaurocracy and slow procedures, by watering down the proposal for the benefit of the council beaurocrats. If they had not accepted the original then protests would grow dramatically, they all knew that.