Motorists to be banned from driving into Hanley as pedestrianised area is extended
MOTORISTS will be banned from driving into Hanley from next week as the pedestrianised area is extended and bus lanes are introduced.
Key roads including Old Hall Street and Percy Street are to be cut off to traffic.
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Motorists will soon be banned from Old Hall Street in Hanley.
And others – such as Stafford Street, Bethesda Street and parts of Trinity Street and John Street – will become dedicated bus lanes.
Maps detailing the changes also show a number of one-way streets will be introduced.
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The new layout will go live on Tuesday to coincide with the opening of the bus station. Police officers and marshals will be on hand to advise drivers but anyone caught flouting the ban in the future will be fined £60.
The move has angered traders and divided opinion among shoppers who say they may now avoid Hanley.
Jennifer James, aged 29, of Regent Road, Hanley, said: "Stafford Street is a main route through the city centre. I drop my mum off to go the Potteries Shopping Centre a couple of times each week.
"If buses are going to carry on going up the road, cars should be allowed up there too."
Disabled bays will be available on some traffic-free roads such as Old Hall Street and outside the extended pedestrianised area, such as Foundry Street and Cheapside.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has already contacted businesses to inform them of changes to access and loading bays.
But Christine Harvey, manager of The Rose Bowl flower shop, in Stafford Street, said: "We've got no idea how this is going to work. I dread to think what it will be like in the initial period after the roads are changed."
Hackney carriages will continue to use a taxi rank on Stafford Street. But private hire car drivers will be banned from using the bus lanes leading to accusations of discrimination.
Bryan Roland, general secretary of the National Private Hire Association, said: "It seems ridiculous. A large percentage of customers are elderly or disabled. It's discrimination."
Peter Price, the council's assistant director for technical services, said: "Traffic laws treat private hire vehicles like privately-owned cars.
"We expect drivers to comply with the traffic signs, for those who do not, the council and police will take action."
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by Potter46
Saturday, March 23 2013, 8:24PM
“Well D3181, the pots and the pits may have been dirty unhealthy jobs, but they were jobs what have we got now nothing. And a lot of Stoke folks were proud to work in those dirty unhealthy jobs.”
by benllech
Saturday, March 23 2013, 7:10AM
“I seem to remember when they demolished the PMT garage and The Victoria ground in Stoke that we were hearing these stories about re-generation and the creation of thousands of jobs.
Now after all these years I ask the question, where are the jobs and were is the re-generation. We were listening to the same rubbish in them days as we are hearing now.
In 20 years time I will ask what happened to the promised 30,000 jobs. We now talk about further destruction of Stoke and and that our cars will now not be allowed to enter Hanley.
THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR THEM IN STOKE.”
by pensioner46
Saturday, March 23 2013, 6:44AM
“I wonder what this Councils next project is to destroy our towns and waste more of the tax payers money.Please can they take their Hanley glasses of and look at the surrounding area's that need money spending on them to bring them into the 21st century.We all pay our taxes NOT just the people who live and shop in Hanley”
by benllech
Saturday, March 23 2013, 2:12AM
“Will I be voting Labour at the next election? I think not.”
by usversusthem
Friday, March 22 2013, 8:02PM
“Our Labour Councillors say that they are interested in creating jobs by bringing businesses into the planned CBD. Yet this Labour led council have introduced plans to extend the pedestrianised city centre further and fine motorists who fall foul of the new restrictions.
I don't know about you but I find that if I'm out shopping I don't need to worry about getting an expensive parking space, risk a £60 fine, having to trek great distances between shops past vacant premises and charity shops in an uninviting environment. In fact these are very good reasons not to visit Hanley. A fact which I can support as none of my family do actually shop there.
Is it any wonder that so many businesses and city residents have shown that they have no confidence in this Labour controlled Council. The people of this city are starting to think about what the Labour Party and successive Council Officers have given us. We have one of the worst performing councils in the country yet we pay some of the highest salaries and allowances for this abysmal standard of performance.
We have Councillors and Officers who are lacking in the basic economic and fiscal strategy skills as evidenced by this lack lustre performance and they are taking this city deeper and deeper into deprivation and poverty.Yet they ask us to trust them in securing our children and our grandchildren's futures by accepting a millstone of debt being placed upon us for a hated, ludicrous and undemocratic decision to move our civic centre. That would be like the Titanic backing up and ramming the iceberg again.
Our Labour Councillors and Officers are not part of the solution - THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.
SHAME ON YOU ALL.
Alan Lear, lightwood”
by DucatiJason
Friday, March 22 2013, 7:38PM
“Haha says the moaner....”
by D3181
Friday, March 22 2013, 7:19PM
“I'm not surprised about my comments receiving negative ratings. A pedestrian area is being extended - great. There will be some buses running around a few of the outer streets - normal for any town? There is a new bus station - all people can do is moan about it. All the access routes into the City Centre have been improved, new paving, new landscaping - but you lot bemoan the waste of money. Do any of you actually think change can be a good thing? It's hilarious... Everyone blames the Council for everything and yes they have made some shocking mistakes. But what's the point - even positive things are turned negative by everyone on here. It's just like people around here (I'm not local) always looking back to the 'good old days' with the pots and pits. No... They were not fantastic jobs. They were dirty, unhealthy jobs. Though let's all look back and wish we could go back to those days hey. At least most people on here would be happy then (though I'm sure many would find things to moan about still!). There are lots of professionals in the City... Professional moaners that is!”
by DucatiJason
Friday, March 22 2013, 7:08PM
“D3181....blues will be running thought the high street.!! you need to read the story again. Seriously..”
by D3181
Friday, March 22 2013, 6:06PM
“I can't believe all the typical Stoke responses to a good thing... Pedestrianisation makes towns and cities much more pleasant. If it was down to the people responding on these forums we'd still have cars and buses running straight through our high streets like we had in the 80s. Get a grip people. Seriously.”
by Ford_TDCI
Friday, March 22 2013, 5:27PM
“Banning Motorists.....Do they want people to visit or not??!!”