Controversial road changes through Rugby town centre to be scrapped on Sunday after widespread criticism

The changes were supposed to allow more pedestrians into the town centre - but many Rugbeians thought the scheme made things worse
Photo submitted by Martin Pulley.Photo submitted by Martin Pulley.
Photo submitted by Martin Pulley.

Temporary changes to traffic management in Rugby's town centre, which included a one-way system and the suspension of on-street parking on several roads, are to be scrapped on Sunday following pressure from residents, councillors, business owners and the borough's MP.

The changes were supposed to give the town centre a boost, allowing more pedestrians to be able to visit the area while safely obeying the two-metre social distancing rule.

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But residents, councillors and business owners said the changes made it more difficult for Rugbeians to get to the town centre - meaning business was being lost.

And with the Prime Minister's June 23 announcement that the two-metre rule would change to one metre as of July 4, the justification for the sweeping changes became weaker.

Yesterday evening, June 24, Rugby Borough Council leader Seb Lowe issued a statement calling on the county council to launch an urgent review into the measures.

Cllr Lowe's statement came after a petition set up by Labour and Lib Dem councillors calling for a review of the changes gathered around 1,000 signatures.

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And on June 23 Rugby MP Mark Pawsey spoke to the Prime Minister in Parliament, describing that changes as 'unwelcome'.

And this afternoon, June 25, a spokesperson for Warwickshire County Council, which brought about the changes, said: "Following continued local engagement Warwickshire County Council will remove the temporary roadspace reallocation measures within Rugby town centre.

"Traffic management will be withdrawn and street furniture reinstalled, from Sunday.

"These works will be managed in such a way as to avoid any road closures.

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"This decision has been taken as it became increasingly clear that a consensus could not be reached with local businesses, partners and stakeholders."

"The scheme had been put into place so as to follow [then] Government guidance around the reopening of retail on 15 June, and in anticipation of further reopening of the hospitality sector on July 4.

"It was designed to create additional space required for social distancing and to give people visiting the town centre confidence that they could move about safely.

"It created additional space for queuing and for bars and restaurants to be able to seat customers outside."

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Cllr Jeff Clarke, portfolio holder for Transport and Planning at Warwickshire County Council, said: “It is disappointing that we have not come to a consensus on what was needed in Rugby.

"We were firmly of the belief that, while the scheme’s primary intention was to safeguard the public and enable safe social distancing, businesses would also benefit from having more space on the roads.

"This would allow their customers to circulate safely around the town, queue where necessary and to be able to accommodate more customers when bars, cafés and restaurants are able to reopen after 4th July, with the increase in footfall that that will bring.

“We always said that we had to act quickly, in line with the Government’s expectation, and get something ready which could then be adapted. As with other schemes around the county, we have listened to partners, the business community and other stakeholders with the view that schemes could be adapted depending on what issues were identified.

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“Unfortunately, we have not been able to agree a compromise in Rugby. We were not willing to continue with the scheme without their full backing or that of the Borough Council.”

Information about further roadspace reallocation schemes in Warwickshire can be found at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/covid19roadlayouts.