Plans to boost town centre economy

AMBITIOUS plans to help grow Warrington’s town centre economy and improve the quality of life have moved forward with proposals for the Palmyra Square “cultural quarter.”
Proposed parking and traffic movement measures affecting the area around the Pyramid and Parr Hall have been put forward, following a consultation exercise carried out in November and December.
The aim is to enhance the street scene, improve the management of parking and traffic flows, encourage more walking and cycling and improve access by buses and taxis.
Although the main focus of the scheme is the urgent need to resurface the roads and footways in Bold Street and Museum Street, it is also proposed to support the various regeneration plans for the town centre.
Amendments will be required to existing traffic regulation orders.
In Bold Street, two new disabled parking places and a three space limited waiting bay will be introduced along the eastern side, south of Egypt Street.
Museum Street will see the existing limited waiting and disabled bays on the northern side moved to the southern side, to allow the introduction of a contra flow cycle lane.
This will allow cyclists to travel in a west to east direction. The general traffic flow will be one way for the majority of its length in a westerly direction from Bold Street, with two way traffic flow up to the car park entrances.
A night time taxi rank will be introduced in Springfield Street to service the Parr Hall and Pyramid. A contra flow cycle lane will operate on the western side, between Palmyra Square South and Sankey Street, allowing cycling from south to north. The direction of traffic will be one way from Sankey Street to Palmyra Square South.
In Cairo Street, the existing nine disabled parking places in the northern section will be removed, with two relocated to the middle section.
Three new disabled parking places are to be placed in Egypt Street.
Palmyra Square North will see the unrestricted northern kerbline formalised into two separate limited waiting parking bays for five and six vehicles.
The loading bay and single yellow line on the northern side will be replaced with double yellow lines and no loading at any time.
In Palmyra Square South, the section accessed from Bold Street will be unchanged, apart from removal of the traffic signals at this junction.
The western section, from Winmarleigh Street, will have a contraflow cycle lane on the northern side.
Loading will be prohibited at all times on the northern side of Suez Street and a new, six space limited time parking bay will be introduced on the southern side.
There will be a new four space limited waiting bay on the north side of Rylands Street.
Town Hall chiefs say there will be an overall increase of one extra disabled parking place and the new facilities will provide better connectivity across the town for cyclists, joining existing routes.
It is expected the scheme will be implemented in the late summer, early autumn.
Objections should be sent to the council solicitor at the Quattro Building, New Town House, Buttermarket Street, Warrington.