Brakes are put on town traffic plan (From Gazette & Herald)

Brakes are put on town traffic plan

RADICAL plans to alter a picturesque Ryedale town centre have been consigned to the dustbin after councillors voted overwhelmingly to accept the residents' preferred option.

Helmsley's traders, residents, and shoppers were consulted in a large-scale overhaul of traffic management in the town during the comprehensive study.

But draft proposals to introduce one-way systems, or to ban parking in the market place entirely, proved deeply unpopular, provoking widespread condemnation.

A third option, to introduce complementary measures such as traffic calming, pedestrian crossings and 40mph buffer zones at the edge of the town received more than 50 per cent support.

Members of North Yorkshire County Council's Ryedale area committee met yesterday to decide Helmsley's fate in front of more than a dozen members of the public who had travelled to voice their opinions.

County Coun Mike Knaggs said there were real concerns that the highways department needed to make the right decision on traffic management in the town, particularly given the large volume of traffic it experienced.

"Helmsley is always busy, especially on a Sunday," he said.

"I wish Malton were half as busy, because it's like a ghost town on a Sunday.

"I think we have to ask ourselves, are we trying to mend something that is not broken?"

Helmsley town councillor Geoff Nicholson, who is on the Ryedale Area Committee, said there were several reasons why the town council disagreed with any change.

"It's true that we opposed all three options and the reason is quite simple," he said.

"We wanted to say yes to some ideas, but no to others - we think the consultation questionnaire was badly worded."

Coun Nicholson said a massive 66 per cent of people had voted to leave Helmsley as it is.

"The market place may not be ideal, but then we don't live in an ideal world.

"We live in the real world and the reality is that it works."

He added: "I feel that we do not want it urbanising, we do not want a municipal pedestrian precinct - go with the majority and leave it alone."

Members of the committee agreed that large-scale change in the market place was not the way forward.

But methods designed to slow traffic down and create a safer environment for pedestrians were given the seal of approval.

Members recommended that a puffin crossing should be introduced on Bondgate, traffic calming should be brought in on Linkfoot Lane, and a 40mph buffer zone should be put in on the approach to the town before the 30mph zones.

Updated: 14:07 Thursday, October 10, 2002