Car ban in central Chelmsford set to be given green light
It would see part of the high street pedestrianised
Last updated 20th Apr 2022
A car ban around Chelmsford’s central square is set to be signed off this week as part of plans to completely transform part of the city’s high street.
Chelmsford City Council and Essex County Council have combined to come up with a series of ideas for Tindal Square and the High Street, including paving over the road outside Shire Hall and making it fully pedestrianised.
What would change?
This would see a brand new public space created outside Shire Hall with paving, public seating, planting and a two-way cycle path between Market Road and New Street.
Delivery vehicles currently entering the High Street area from either New Street or Duke Street via Tindal Square will not be able to with the proposed physical changes.
The direction of flow for delivery vehicles entering the High Street area will be reversed with all vehicles entering via Baddow Road and exiting via New Street.
This combined with changes to the delivery times and alterations to the rising bollards (which will only now lower on request) will give greater control over the types, size and numbers of vehicles entering the area, the council says
It adds that using Baddow Road as the access point should allow vehicles that are denied access to the High Street to get back through Barrack Square and Friars Walk back onto Parkway without having to reverse or turn around.
Waiting and loading restrictions along New Street between Church Street and Waterloo Lane shall remove the potential for vehicles entering and exiting Waterloo Lane being hindered by parked vehicles.
And to further control vehicle movements within the High Street area, an Environmental weight limit of 7.5 tonnes will be implemented along the entire length of the High Street, Moulsham Street north of Baddow Road, Springfield Road west of King Meadow Roundabout, and Tindal square.
Why pedestrianise?
Essex County Council says this will help protect historic structures such as Stone Bridge over the River Can, reduce the regular damage that occurs to street furniture and street lighting equipment and control the maintenance burden of heavy vehicles passing over and damaging the fabric of the public realm area.
Vehicles will be permitted access to High Street if they hold a valid permit issued by Chelmsford City Council.
A 31ft and 1.2 inch length prohibition is to be implemented on New Street south of its junction with Legg Street to prevent any larger vehicles traveling southbound on New Street from getting stuck at the New Street and Tindal Square area
The northern section of Tindal Street, which is currently two way to facilitate vehicles exiting the shopping centre service yard will be changed to one way. Vehicles leaving the service yard shall be required to turn right onto Tindal Street, joining Parkway from Bellmead.
A No Waiting at Any Time restriction will be implemented at the eastern end of Barrack Square to prevent vehicles travelling along the pedestrian section.
The current prohibition of cycling along the High Street will remain in place, however cycling will be allowed through the Tindal Square area.
In the last few years, the city council has invested significantly in the public realm and recent completed schemes have included Marconi Plaza, Station Square completed in 2016 at a cost of ÂŁ1.6million, Exchange Square completed in August 2016 and Half Moon Square completed in autumn 2016 at a cost of ÂŁ1.9million.
Earlier estimated costs of the detailed design and tender process for the Tindal Square works had costs at ÂŁ3.3million.