Whitby Town Council Welcomes Projects Proposed For Investment Plan

Whitby Town Council says it welcomes projects behind a draft Town Investment Plan.

Members of Whitby Town Council welcomed a presentation from Scarborough Borough Council’s Regeneration Manager at a meeting earlier this week on Wednesday (23rd September).

Alex Richards, who is project managing for the Town Deal Board set out the projects which form part of the draft Town Investment Plan.

Members lent their support to the themes under the Town Deal:

• Whitby Maritime Academy - establishing a new, nationally significant Maritime training centre at Endeavor Wharf.

• Broomfield Carbon Neutral Self Build – housing project

• Pannett Art Gallery extension

• Town Hall and Market Square

• Whitby Innovation Hub – for SMEs, based at the Church House, Flowergate

• Harbourside public realm, Part 1: pedestrianisation of Whitby Bridge

• Whitby Wildeye – coastal artworks celebrating local nature and wildlife

• Eastside and Calla Beck Wellbeing Centre

• Free wi-fi zones – a five-year funded project covering the town centre

It was concluded that for most of these activities the increased pressure on parking and number of people in the town centre will need to be addressed. The park and ride service needs to be improved and be more cost effective for people to use. Including overnight parking.

It was felt that the opening hours and season of the park and ride should be extended and that an additional park and ride to the east is a requirement.

North Yorkshire County Council’s Area Highways Manager, Richard Marr provided a description of the pedestrianisation proposals, which recognised the emphasis which members were keen to see placed on advanced signage and junction improvements elsewhere in the town to mitigate the effects of traffic crossing the river only by the ‘new’ bridge (A171).

Specific attention was drawn to the opportunity to make the east side turning point at the junction of Green Lane with Spital Bridge, the potential to open-up access to resident parking at California Road, the need for significant junction improvement at Spital Bridge Helredale Road junction, the impact on the ‘Mayfield Road’ junction at Prospect Hill and potential congestion on Bagdale – particularly access for emergency vehicles throughout these areas.

Members of the Town Council were keen to emphasise that these wider impacts on traffic flow, for residents and businesses, must be part of the communication on this project.

They also felt that consideration needs to be given to the function and location of taxi ranks and bus stops.

It was acknowledged that the experimental pedestrianisation scheme must be responsive, open and accessible to comment throughout its duration and that the design of any ‘permanent’ scheme arising from the core funding must meet the needs of residents and businesses as a priority.

Having expressed the Town Council’s support for the proposed Lobster Hatchery previously, the members were interested in the possibility of incorporating elements of this scheme into the detailed development of the business case for the Maritime Academy or into the wider Masterplan being developed by Scarborough Borough Council as the accountable body for the Town Deal.

Speaking after the meeting, Town Mayor, Cllr Linda Wild, said: “I hope these comments from the Town Council, which echo those heard elsewhere, will be reflected when the Investment Plan is submitted to Ministers next month”.