Thornbury has voted to scrap the controversial changes to the High Street but the council will press ahead anyway. The town north of Bristol held a parish poll on Thursday, May 26, on scrapping changes brought in during the first lockdown and about to be made permanent.
South Gloucestershire Council wants to permanently ban most through traffic and remove parking bays on both sides of the road, to the opposition of many local residents and businesses. Delivery drivers and residents would still have access.
Results of the poll showed a huge majority in reverting back to the pre-pandemic layout with through traffic, as 72 per cent voted in favour of scrapping the changes and 28 per cent voted against. Despite the results, the council said it was “committed” to making the changes permanent.
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A council spokesperson said: “We welcome public feedback on our plans for Thornbury High Street. We know that there are strong feelings on both sides about the changes. We are committed to progressing our plans to deliver on our vision for Thornbury, with a sustainable high street at its heart that is fit for the future and welcoming for all.
“We will continue to work closely with people who live and work in the town to explain these plans; to improve them where we can; and to deliver the projects needed in terms of the infrastructure the town needs so that everyone can share in that sustainable future.”
Works to make the changes permanent are due to begin this summer and will finish by October next year. Local residents and campaigners are concerned the changes mean shops on the High Street will see fewer customers, as well as worsening congestion elsewhere in the town.
Rob Galpin, of Thornbury residents association, said the results mean the council “patently needs to discard” the planned changes to the High Street, and called on council bosses to visit the town and meet with local residents to discuss their concerns.
He said: “A resounding yes vote was given by the residents of Thornbury yesterday. The residents association calls on [council leader] Toby Savage, the cabinet, councillors and heads of department to come to Thornbury and visit residents, to learn what’s really needed rather than pursue their vision, which patently now needs to be discarded.
“The atmosphere within the queues was good-natured and almost a party atmosphere, as those with different opinions made the most of their time in which they were thrown together. This was very pleasing after the past two years in which the population was divided on the future of the High Street. Maybe now there is the opportunity to come together and agree on the best way forward for Thornbury.”
The turnout of the vote was 23%, with 2,567 people voting out of an electorate of 11,250 eligible voters. Residents said long queues could be seen outside polling stations, with some people having to wait a long time to vote.
