A NEW vision for the revitalisation of Malton town centre has been revealed.

The town’s Palace Cinema was packed last Friday as Bristol-based design consultant Ben Hamilton-Baillie outline his vision for a new way for cars and pedestrians to share the streets of Malton.

Mr Hamilton-Baillie said: “For the first time in our history, people don’t have to come to town, because they can use out of town shopping centres or buy goods on the internet. Instead they choose to come to town, and this has profound implications for the way we value public space.”

In the new vision, cars would be expected to drive more slowly, so that pedestrians would feel free to walk in the road. Traffic signs, road markings, pedestrian safety gates and raised kerbs might be removed, to make the town centre appear less cluttered, and potentially to increase safety.

After the meeting, County and Malton Town Councillor David Lloyd-Williams said the county’s highways bosses are currently working on various options for the town centre and Market Place in a bid to improve the quality of life for residents and shoppers.

He said: “I think the concept of having shared space for traffic and pedestrians, was a good one.

“It would have the effect of slowing cars down and slowing down the pace of life for pedestrians. Malton is a small market town serving a vast rural area. I want to see it revitalised.”

Malton’s mayor Coun Jane Ford said that building new roundabouts and improving each end of the Malton bypass would have a major benefit to the town and take away a large amount of heavy traffic – historically one of Malton’s biggest headaches.

Roddy Bushell, of the Fitzwilliam Estate, said: “I shall be disappointed if some of the options being considered for Malton Market Place do not come from the shared space perspective. We can then see if people feel the concept will suit Malton town centre.”

Speaking at the meeting, he said he was concerned that older people might not feel confident sharing the streets with cars.

John Collins, a member Business in Action, said; “I’m cautious about this idea of shared space, because it could encourage speeding.

“There are a lot of boy racers out there, and it is notoriously difficult to get people to change their behaviour.”

Coun Howard Keal, said: “What concerns me is that this idea of shared spaces relies on pedestrians feeling a certain amount of discomfort. We need a pedestrian only area during the day in much of the Market Place to create a space that is a pleasure for shoppers to be in.”

William Oxley, Pickering town councillor, said the concept of shared space would also be looked at as part of the Pride in Pickering campaign.