Review into Clevedon seafront scheme recommends key changes
The review looked into the changes put in place earlier this year on Hill Road and The Beach
The much-anticipated review into the controversial changes to Clevedon’s seafront has recommended key changes — but North Somerset Council says it cannot commit to whether they will be implemented.
The review by consultants AECOM recommended keeping the one-way system on the street, bringing back more diagonal parking with a view out to sea, and removing the two-way cycle lane. The “wiggly lines” would also go.
North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell said: “Throughout this process we have been committed to being open about the findings which is why we are sharing the report’s results with the community as soon as its available and giving them the opportunity to ask questions about the findings.”
But he said the council’s commitment had been to carrying out the review, and added that implementing the recommended changes would depend on whether they were supported by the public, and whether the council could find the money for the estimated £375,000 price tag for the scheme.
Mr Bell said: “We haven’t got half a million pounds, or the best part of, sat around waiting to be spent on this.”
The plans would also have to be put to the community before decisions are made. He said: “We can’t make any commitments in terms of how quickly — or exactly what way — changes are made.”
Around 2,790 people responded to the consultation questionnaire, which ran for six weeks earlier this year. The review also involved drop-in sessions, meetings with stakeholders such as Save Our Seafront, the Pier Trust, and accessibility groups, and video monitoring of how people were using the scheme.
The recommendations would see the one-way system and 20mph limit remain on the beach. The two-way cycle lane would be removed, however, and replaced with a single contraflow cycle lane on the other side of the road.
The number of parking spaces on the seafront, which was cut from 62 to 30 in the controversial changes, would be increased to 42. These would mostly be diagonal parking spaces with a sea view again, but some parallel parking places would remain at each end of the beach, including disabled parking and along with a coach pick-up point and bus layby.
Improvements would also be made to the “layout and arrangement” of the mini-roundabout at the junction of Alexandra Road and Marine Parade. Most of the “yellow brick road” buff will also be removed, expect for at crossings.
The review proposed keeping the changes that were made to Hill Road, however. Vicky Presland of AECOM said: “When we consulted, especially with younger people, there was a like of the cafe culture and the buzz that there is on Hill Road.”
She added that there they had found “no empirical evidence” that local businesses had lost trade because of the scheme, despite the local business community’s concerns.
Clevedon West councillor Luke Smith and Clevedon Walton councillor Michael Pryke were both elected in May after campaigning against the controversial changes to the seafront. They had brought a motion to undo the changes before the council, although withdrew it to allow the review to take place.
Commenting on the recommendations, Mr Smith said: “It’s about what we expected.”
Mr Pryke added: “We need to go away, take a bit of time, and see what the community have to say about it.”
Hannah Young, who represents Clevedon South on North Somerset Council, and is the council’s executive member for highways and transport, said: “I have heard so much feedback, as a resident of Clevedon, from people with all sorts of views. … I think what is being proposed will work a lot better if we can achieve it.”
Ms Young said: “Any decisions about what we do next will be made in public.”
A public meeting is being held tonight (November 20) in Clevedon where the recommendations of the review and being announced to the people of the town.
The recommendations of the review will be considered by North Somerset Council’s executive at their next meeting on December 6. The meeting will take place at 2.30pm in Weston-super-Mare Town Hall and is open to the public.
You can view the full report here.
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