News: Canning Circus Developments

Friday, November 18, 2005 - 06:33 PM

Residents of Newcastle Drive are concerned about the proposed Canning Circus Pedestrian Scheme. They complain that the proposals for The Ropewalk will increase the volume of traffic on their road and have an adverse impact on safety and the quality of the environment. Anyone who feels that they may be affected by this scheme should contact Stephen Hyde on stephen@hydemail.co.uk. The more letters the council receives, the greater the impact. If you would like to read the text of the objection letter sent to the City Council, please click on the title of this story or on "Read more..." below.

Kerry Haley
Traffic Management
Nottingham City Council
City Development
Lawrence House
Talbot Street
Nottingham NG1 5NT

Dear Madam,

RE: PROPOSED CANNING CIRCUS PEDESTRIAN SCHEME TMP6537

We are writing in response to your leaflet inviting comments on the above. In general terms we support the move to improve and tidy up the Canning Circus area and improve pedestrian access but have serious concerns about two aspects of the proposals and their consequences.

1. The making of the Ropewalk into a one-way street for vehicles to the junction with Derby Road
2. Removal of the u-turn from Alfreton Road onto Derby Road.

1. Ropewalk one way street. The proposals will significantly increase the volume of traffic at the northern entrances of the Park from the Ropewalk and by Walton’s Hotel on Derby Road and as a consequence most importantly on Newcastle Drive.

This is because drivers will use it as a cut through even more than they do at present to avoid having to negotiate Canning Circus and then travel down most of Wollaton Street before being able to cut back round by the Strathdon Hotel onto the Derby Road if they work in or want to get to the Ropewalk/Old Hospital area of the city. More importantly when people return from work in a westerly direction, as a result on the one waying of the Ropewalk, they are much more likely to cut through Newcastle Drive to save themselves time and money.

Newcastle Drive is effectively a single lane road, taking into account residents’ parking, is already hazardous and a further influx of traffic is more than likely to tip the balance negatively. Newcastle Drive will become much more risky for drivers and pedestrians with the likelihood that it will be more dangerous to the people who live here and the people who cut through as well as reducing the amenity for residents. A very negative consequence of making a change elsewhere

Secondly, the elimination of the u-turn from Alfreton Road into Derby Road seems to serve no real purpose and will not only cause considerable inconvenience but funnel traffic from the north across many residential streets to the west of Alfreton Road and Ilkeston Road-

If drivers were to abide by your scheme it would involve many cars travelling further each day at a personal cost to them of time and money but also at a great cost to the whole community/environment from the additional car fumes/emissions

These can no longer be described as unintended consequences as they were clearly pointed out, fully discussed and accepted when we had an on site meeting in August on Newcastle Drive with Polly Brant, John Carnell and your team with Graham Brown, Barry Hill NPEL Estate manager and myself. You have proceeded with your plan knowing of this negative safety and deeply concerning consequences for residents of Newcastle Drive.

Is this sensible traffic management from a responsible caring and concerned City Council?

At that meeting it was agreed that we would work together on a traffic survey. We have not heard from you on this matter. My understanding is that you have already carried this out this survey without any consultation with us /NPEL. Is this true?

We would like to see the results of your traffic study and consider that this should be available in the public domain and as part of your consultation. Where can this be seen?

Your proposals seem far from being fully thought through and require a full and thorough reassessment before you proceed any further with these proposals.

Yours sincerely

Stephen and Lesley Hyde
Copies to Councillors Mohammed Aslam, Katrina Bull, Afzal Khan, Bryan Parbutt