Mayor backs low traffic Mill Road

Mill Road for People is delighted to hear that the mayor, Nik Johnson, is supporting the reintroduction of the bus gate on Mill Road bridge, subject to consultation. We believe a bus gate is an essential component of an improved Mill Road and also of a coherent city-wide traffic management plan. In addition, the government has made it crystal clear that the current situation is not consistent with their active travel plans and failure to deliver will result in funding cuts.

This is a huge victory for local people who want to breathe clean air, for children who want to walk and cycle safely to school, and for anyone who takes the threat of climate change seriously.

As a result of our door knocking and regular street stalls, as well as the MR4P’s large and rapidly-growing membership, we know for certain that this is what local people want. In addition, we are currently undertaking a schools survey of our own, and preliminary results show just how important a low-traffic, low-pollution environment to parents and their children.

However, a bus gate is not enough. Mill Road for People has a vision for other very significant improvements to make Mill Road accessible and attractive for everyone, and a great place to shop and trade. We want a much improved streetscape, with wider, uncluttered pavements, more trees and more community spaces. We want better measures for ensuring that people with disabilities aren’t disadvantaged, and to help businesses in practical ways. Our ideas are set out here.

In addition, we are continuing to push for a truly meaningful consultation. This shouldn’t be a referendum on a bus gate, but a much more ambitious process to look at all aspects of a successful street. It should be based on solid research and delivered in a way that gathers views from as many people as possible.