"Determined efforts are needed to sort buses & market" - Hunneman

12.04.00am GMT Thu 9th Nov 2006

Roger Hunneman is calling for 'determined efforts' to be made over town centre arrangements

Victoria ward member Councillor Roger Hunneman has today expressed concerns over the proposed return of buses to Northbrook Street and the Market Place. Following last week's announcement that the market stalls would be returning to the Market Place from Thursday 30th November, Councillor Hunneman again voiced his opposition to combining buses and market stalls and questioned the wisdom of having buses in the pedestrianised zones altogether even on non-Market days.

"Whilst I am delighted to see the successful completion of the Market Place renovation in sight, I remain concerned about the safety implications in any pedestrianised environment, whether Market Place or Northbrook Street, where buses are able to pass through. I am particularly concerned because shoppers and users of the town centre have now become accustomed to the absence of vehicles. Especially worrying is the possible return of buses to the Market Place given the design and placement of roadway together with the close proximity of stalls: it is a recipe for disaster."

Councillor Hunneman continued:

"I do however, have a great deal of sympathy for the stall holders, who were told last week they must return to the Market Place prior to the scheduled move in January. I deplore the constant changing of plans we witness on an almost daily basis from this Council's administration. I would much rather the original plans stood so that Newbury can enjoy an ice rink and Farmers Market with the present successful arrangements for the Market in Northbrook Street continuing in the lead up to Christmas. This whole situation has arisen because of the administration's failure to manage the use of the Parkway bridge."

Councillor Hunneman is asking that alternative bus routes are investigated thoroughly, including dropping off passengers at the Post Office end of the Market Place and in the Broadway so as to avoid buses using the pedestrianised areas at all from now on rather than from when Parkway is operational in 3 years time, as presently planned.

"I urge the administration to sort out the routing of the buses around Newbury together with the traffic management of the Parkway Bridge so the public aren't subjected to constant chopping and changing which has been going on since the summer. If the administration doesn't take the time now to get this sorted out the situation will only deteriorate as the Park Way works proceed. Determined efforts must be made to sort this problem."