A main road in Stockport is to be permanently closed to through traffic as work to pedestrianise part of the town centre gets underway.
A stretch of Churchgate and Millgate, which runs between the Market Hall and St Mary's Church, is to be blocked at either end to make way for a new traffic-free walkway. It is part of a wider £800k scheme which will also see automatic bollards used to further restrict vehicle access to the area around the Market Place and Underbanks.
Council chiefs say it will protect pedestrians and cyclists and make the historic part of the town "more inviting and safer for people to visit." A consultation was held on the plans last Autumn before they were given the go-ahead in December. The town hall says over 500 responses were received as part of that and that overall the scheme received support.
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Work is now set to get underway following the jubilee bank holiday weekend. Council contractors will move in and begin work on the scheme on Tuesday, June 7 which is when the new closures and restrictions come into force.
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Signs have been placed on Churchgate and around the town informing drivers of the impending closure, which involves the stretch from property number 7 Millgate to immediately north of the Market Place/ Churchgate junction.
Motorists are being asked to use to St Mary's Way to navigate their way around the town centre and to reach Asda and Peel Centre shopping park car parks.
New automatic bollards will limit access to the Market area between 10.30am and midnight Monday to Sunday. The restrictions will begin at 7am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The full-time closure of the Market Place in front of the Produce Hall will remain in place.
In addition, the closure of Bridge Street, Great Underbank and part of Little Underbank will be extended, with vehicles set to be prohibited from 10.30am to midnight Monday to Sunday.
A section of Little Underbank will become two-way for vehicles between 4pm and midnight. There have been concerns that the move will impact those with mobility issues and further increase traffic on neighbouring roads, and the original plans were amended after questions were raised over the impact on disabled drivers, businesses and local residents.
However, Stockport Council say it will ultimately "improve the visitor experience for residents and businesses as part of the multi-million-pound regeneration of the town centre."
“This scheme forms part of the ongoing work to improve Stockport town centre," a council spokesperson said.
"It will make it more inviting and safer for people to visit and enjoy the Market Place and the Underbanks.
“It is important that motorists take note of the changes to Churchgate and they should use the alternative route of St Mary’s Way to get to their destination.”
