Appendices to Item 14
North Walsham Town Centre Enhancement Scheme Appendices to
Cabinet Report 15 October 2012
Appendix 1. Norfolk County Council briefing 2009
PF1000 North Walsham Market Place - Traffic Management Scheme
September 2009
Pedestrianisation of North Walsham Market Place has been a priority of the
Town council for a number of years following a Pedestrianisation Study in
1998 and a Walking and Cycling study in 2006. It is felt that such a scheme
would enhance the economic viability of the Market Place and protect its
status as a conservation area.
Existing situation
The Market Place forms a major traffic through route for the town and is a
busy shopping area. The two serve to cause some of the major areas of
congestion due to people looking and waiting for parking spaces combined
with numerous bus activity and business deliveries using HGV’s.
Businesses are acutely aware that the majority of their trade is from people
who access the Market Place directly and park on a short term basis. This has
led to numerous objections from the local business community to proposals to
a full pedestrianisation scheme.
It should be noted however that the Market Place is closed on Thursdays for
market stalls which provides additional retail trade as people travel to visit the
Market on a Thursday. The Bus service uses alternative routes on Thursday
which in theory could be extended to other days or all of the week.
The physical layout of the Market Place is such that there is a confusing mix
of waiting restrictions, loading restrictions, loading bays, parking places and
bus stops and forms a major through route for the Town.
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As can be seen fro the photo below, due to the large open space available
there is a temptation for drivers to wait around for parking spaces in the
adjacent bays. This practice has lead to congestion and stationary traffic
particularly when buses are negotiating badly parked or waiting vehicles.
Officers met with the Town council and the Chamber of Trade in 2007 with a
proposal for a pedestrainisation scheme for 1 day a week (in addition to the
Thursday market) as a trial which met with objections and intervention by the
local MP.
As a result a traffic working party was formed which included members from
the traders, town council and the local CC’S. It was agreed that whilst full
pedstrianisation was unattainable, there was a strong desire to improve
pedestrian facilities, reduce through traffic, rationalise existing restrictions
whilst maintaining parking to assist traders.
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Accident Data
The existing accident record for the last three years shows three slight injuries
involving pedestrians although it is reported that pedestrians, particularly the
old, disabled and parents with pushchairs feel vulnerable.
Traffic Counts
A survey in adjoining Market Street in March 2008 indicated 3791 vehicles in
a day. No pedestrian figures are available.
Proposed Measures.
See attached plans pf1000 part 1 & part 2.
The agreed proposal is to be implemented in two stages which are interlinked
and will have the effect of removing unnecessary traffic from the market place,
providing parking but remove the ability for motorists to wait for spaces.
Measure 1 - A clear circulatory system around the town by clearly signing
the existing shopper’s car parks thereby reducing the temptation to drive to
the Market Place and wait for a space. As the car parks are managed by
North Norfolk District Council and they would directly benefit from the
increased revenue, a contribution or sole funding should be sought from
NNDC.
Measure 2 - Dovetails with the previous measure by removing some of the
confusion over waiting and loading bays, relocation of disabled parking bays
and realignment of the parking bays in the Market Place.
It is proposed to realign the existing parking bays from 90 degree to the kerb
to echelon parking which will improve visibility for drivers parking, along with
fewer, wider spaces and an increase the number of disabled bays. The area
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where the parking is currently located is intended to be moved further out into
the market place by increasing the footway on the southern side which will
serve to reduce the lane through the market space to 3.0m. This will remove
the temptation for drivers to wait for available spaces as it will be evident that
they will prevent access through the Market Place.
Traffic speeds will be constrained at the junction of Market Street/ Market
Place and at the junction Market Place/ Church Street by flat top tables which
will also serve as crossing points where pavements are particularly narrow.
(Subsequently agreed with NWTC that the Church street table could sensibly
be omitted since there are drop kerbs available and traffic moves slowly to
negotiate the bend)
The combination of the measures aims to direct traffic to appropriate parking
outside the market place and manage flows within, and provide additional
space for pedestrians.
Constraints.
The proposals have been agreed by the Town Council, Business so it is not
envisaged that objections will be an issue.
As can be seen from the photo below the choice of materials will need to be in
keeping with existing conservation grade material which may prove cost
prohibitive.
No preliminary consultations have been undertaken with NNDC conservation
officers regarding materials.
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Appendix 2 – 3 : Proposed Scheme for Market Place and Signage
proposals – NCC 2009
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