Parkway Bridge to close from March 7th - Northbrook Street to open to traffic at 5.00pm instead of 6.00pm

Peak hour traffic wanting to exit Newbury through the town centre in the evenings, will soon be able to do so an hour earlier.

An agreed new traffic system, due to come into effect when the Parkway development opens in October, includes changing the end time of the town’s pedestrian zone from 6pm to 5pm to improve rush-hour traffic flows. Now, it has been agreed to bring forward that change to next month.

The reason behind the move is the announcement by Standard Life Investments – the developers of Parkway – that Park Way bridge will be closed to all traffic from 7 March.  Currently, all southbound traffic can use the bridge. From October, the single-lane bridge will be available to buses, taxis and cycles only in both directions under traffic signal control.

Importantly, Park Way itself will remain open at all times with full access for vehicles using the Camp Hopson car park, businesses in Park Way, and for deliveries by service vehicles.

The improvement works to the paving being carried out by West Berkshire Council will be completed by 7 March, and the pedestrian zone returned to normal operation then.

West Berkshire Executive Councillor, Pamela Bale, said: “As it has become necessary to close Park Way bridge, we are bringing forward the change in pedestrian zone times to help compensate. To comply with traffic legislation, 17 March is the earliest we can do this.

“Come October, car drivers would no longer be able to use the bridge anyway, so for them this is simply bringing forward an agreed change with the benefit of being able to use Northbrook Street from 5pm.”

Just to clarify this posting...

The closure of Park Way Bridge will commence from March 7th
The change to the pedestrianised zone will not take effect until March !7th (10 days later).

How much did it cost us to replace the American Bridge?

Just to let a few buses and taxis usei it. What a waste of money!

Nothing is logical about Newbury anymore.

Quoted from Archie

Nothing is logical about Newbury anymore.

Beam me up Scotty !

Why has it 'become necessary' to close the bridge?

I would imagine it is to stop the blight of traffic queues.

Quoted from blackdog

Why has it 'become necessary' to close the bridge?

This is to enable Costain to complete all of the roadworks and pavement creation alongside the new shopping precinct in Park Way. Also to allow West Berks to install a permanent set of traffic lights and ANPR cameras in time for the grand opening of Parkway in the Autumn, when the bridge will be reopened with traffic light controlled two-way traffic for buses, taxis, Royal Mail vans, emergency vehicles and bicycles.

Ordinary south bound traffic will never again be allowed to traverse Park Way bridge. When you leave the underground car park at Park Way, you will be directed out onto London Road.

I think there should be a new campaign started for a "north Newbury bypass".  Not roads this time.... but the RIVER (and Canal)  Re-direct this thing that splits the town in two...  Retain a meagre flow as a decorative water feature maybe, but give us something that can be easily overbridged..  It's hardly the mighty Amazon, but this little brook is going to become a serious obstacle to movement around the town once the only crossing for mere mortals becomes the A339 (or a massive detour to Hambridge Road - those extra miles will cost big in the fuel tank in no time at all)

Where are our engineers with vision...? What happened to the offspring of John Rennie? Issy Kingdom Brunel?  Have their genetic offspring gone into childcare or social work rather than engineering and expanding on the head start they had on the rest of mankind?  They can't ALL work for the Council surely...  

It can't beyond the wit of Man to come up with a cheap solution to transportation around a little town like Newbury.  One that doesn't involve cutting of supply  

Quoted from spartacus

I think there should be a new campaign started for a "north Newbury bypass".  Not roads this time.... but the RIVER (and Canal)  Re-direct this thing that splits the town in two...  Retain a meagre flow as a decorative water feature maybe, but give us something that can be easily overbridged..  It's hardly the mighty Amazon, but this little brook is going to become a serious obstacle to movement around the town once the only crossing for mere mortals becomes the A339 (or a massive detour to Hambridge Road - those extra miles will cost big in the fuel tank in no time at all)

Where are our engineers with vision...? What happened to the offspring of John Rennie? Issy Kingdom Brunel?  Have their genetic offspring gone into childcare or social work rather than engineering and expanding on the head start they had on the rest of mankind?  They can't ALL work for the Council surely...  

It can't beyond the wit of Man to come up with a cheap solution to transportation around a little town like Newbury.  One that doesn't involve cutting of supply  

OMG Don't even go there !!!!!

I find it a more than a little irritating that SLI have announced the closure of the Parkway bridge. It doesn't belong to them, neither does the road that leads from the London Road up to that bridge. They should be firmly told by WBC that the closure is not convenient until the 17th March. But then the council wouldn't want to upset them as so we had better do as they (SLI) instruct us. Reminds me of the cinema road closures for months on end.

At least we will have new  bollard type threads on here telling us that people who drive over should go to specsavers, have their licences removed and warn us about the people they could have driven over because they missed the signs.

It should be entertaining watching vehicles attempting to do a 180 degree turn around the mouth of the Camp Hopson car park. Talking of which, it's a long drive for Camp Hopson's customers coming from the south to get into and out of their car park.

Perhaps Camps could take over part of the car park by the library for their southern Newbury customers... Have some sort of trolley service going over Parkway Bridge delivering shopping to car boots (although the bridge will just be buses taxis and cyclists.... no mention of trolleys permitted...  hmmm... problem)

Quoted from spartacus

Perhaps Camps could take over part of the car park by the library for their southern Newbury customers... Have some sort of trolley service going over Parkway Bridge delivering shopping to car boots (although the bridge will just be buses taxis and cyclists.... no mention of trolleys permitted...  hmmm... problem)

That's assuming Camps are still open then? Providing they can compete with the new John Lewis?  

Quoted from Archie

How much did it cost us to replace the American Bridge?

Just to let a few buses and taxis usei it. What a waste of money!

Nothing is logical about Newbury anymore.

When the new bridge was being mooted wasn't the question raised regarding making it large enough to take two lanes of traffic?
If I remember correctly it was stated there would never be a need for this with the changes to Newbury that were proposed?

With all the new house development being planned I dread to think what the A339 will be like at peak times with the American bridge closed?

Just never seem to plan far enough ahead do they?  

Quoted from Cognosco

With all the new house development being planned I dread to think what the A339 will be like at peak times with the American bridge closed?

I don't suppose it will be much different - at peak times the Park Way bridge is more of a car park than a crossing - from 5-6pm the Northbrook St route will take far more traffic away from the A339 than the Park Way/Wharf Road route does at present.

Still can't get my mind around a developer making the annoncement that the Parkway bridge, a public road and in fact a southerly through road, is closed to traffic.

The reason behind the move is the announcement by Standard Life Investments – the developers of Parkway – that Park Way bridge will be closed to all traffic from 7 March.  Currently, all southbound traffic can use the bridge. From October, the single-lane bridge will be available to buses, taxis and cycles only in both directions under traffic signal control.


Has anybody seen the closure notice in the local paper I wonder. I am more than a little p***ed off with the way we the ratepayers are treated by WBC, best website or not.

Quoted from Greenham Common

I would imagine it is to stop the blight of traffic queues.

There will be only one way to exit the new water tank (sorry underground carpark) didn't anyone at WBC realise this will meet the traffic coming from Northbrook St at going home time, often now the traffic backs up from the Robin Hood lights.  

Quoted from brian

The reason behind the move is the announcement by Standard Life Investments – the developers of Parkway – that Park Way bridge will be closed to all traffic from 7 March.

Good to know who's pulling the strings isn't it?


Threep.

This is the Costain press release for the closure of the bridge:

NEWBURY’S REGENERATION TAKES NEXT STEP

The regeneration of Newbury town centre is about to enter the next phase. With Parkway – the new 475,000 sq ft shopping centre in the heart of Newbury – now starting to really take shape, works to upgrade Park Way and the footpath are now set to go ahead in readiness for the scheme’s opening in October this year (2011).

Parkway contractors Costain will undertake road improvement works and create new bus and taxi ranks, as well as lowering the carriageway at the entrance to Parkway’s new 734-space car park. In addition, the ongoing utilities diversion works under the existing
road will be completed.

In order to facilitate this work, Park Way Bridge over the canal will be closed to through traffic and a new traffic management system will be put in place on Park Way from Monday 7 March.

The road diversions will ensure that the current build up of traffic on Park Way, up to London Road - caused by road users waiting to cross Park Way Bridge - will be significantly reduced.

The road works will be closely monitored and a traffic light system in place to ensure that tailbacks do not occur. Access to the Camp Hopson car park and to all business premises with existing access from Park Way will be maintained at all times.

A traffic management system will be in place with clear signage throughout the works, to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Quoted from Cognosco

When the new bridge was being mooted wasn't the question raised regarding making it large enough to take two lanes of traffic?
If I remember correctly it was stated there would never be a need for this with the changes to Newbury that were proposed?

I fought tooth and nail for a two way bridge on behalf of the retailers of this town. West Berks produced facts and figures which convinced the then Lib Dem council that a two way bridge was not a feasible option.

One of their (West Berks Highways) claims was that the space required for a two way bridge would take the carriageway within 6" of the Stone Building. My reply was that we required an ordinary two lane bridge over the canal not a two lane dual carriageway.

At this time Camp Hopson had already been allowed to build their furniture department even though its construction had restricted the space available for the new bridge and access route. The planning permission for the furniture store had not taken account of the potential problems for constructing the new bridge. (This planning permission was granted before West Berks became the unitary authority we know today).

Quoted from brian

Has anybody seen the closure notice in the local paper I wonder. I am more than a little p***ed off with the way we the ratepayers are treated by WBC, best website or not.

There has been a closure order in force for nearly 3 years now which enables WBC to close Northbrook Street, Park Street, Park Way and the Park Way Bridge at a moments notice if they so desire.

Quoted from Administrator

Parkway contractors Costain will undertake road improvement works and create new bus and taxi ranks, as well as lowering the carriageway at the entrance to Parkway’s new 734-space car park. In addition, the ongoing utilities diversion works under the existing
road will be completed.

You will note that at this stage, there is no reduction in the number of car parking spaces being quoted.

When one is posting replies to themselves on the Internet at 3:26am it's probably time for a bit a sanity check.  

Quoted from user23.3

When one is posting replies to themselves on the Internet at 3:26am it's probably time for a bit a sanity check.  

Some people work surprisingly long hours. An alien concept to a WBC employee, I know.

It doesn't change the facts posted regardless of the time they are posted.  Driving home last night, I couldn't help but notice how ugly and over sized this abomination appears through the leafless trees.  A job well done Newbury.

I think that the stretch of road between Clock Tower and Robin Hood is going to be a nightmare. Nobody at the council appears willing to talk about the problems we may face, instead saying that work may be carried out at a point in the future, which will simply make the problem worse???

Quoted from Greenham Common

It doesn't change the facts posted regardless of the time they are posted.  Driving home last night, I couldn't help but notice how ugly and over sized this abomination appears through the leafless trees.  A job well done Newbury.

Abomination is the right word. We are a market town for goodness sake. If our council wanted to emulate Marlborough., I would support them. But Swindon?? It just is not right.

Quoted from 26

Some people work surprisingly long hours. An alien concept to a WBC employee, I know.

Posting on an Internet chat board isn't working, not in my book anyway.

Quoted from 26

Abomination is the right word. We are a market town for goodness sake. If our council wanted to emulate Marlborough., I would support them. But Swindon?? It just is not right.

We are a town with a market, not a market town, as is Swindon.

Quoted from user23.3

Posting on an Internet chat board isn't working, not in my book anyway..

Not even if it is part of your business.

Quoted from user23.3

We are a town with a market, not a market town, as is Swindon

Splitting hairs really. We haven't had a cattle market for years, but today, 'Market town' means a country town as opposed to a large town, such as Swindon for instance.

Quoted from brian

Not even if it is part of your business.



Splitting hairs really. We haven't had a cattle market for years, but today, 'Market town' means a country town as opposed to a large town, such as Swindon for instance.

I'm not going to discuss this any more. It was a tongue in cheek comment that perhaps one needs to take stock if one is replying to oneself at 3.30am on Sunday morning on an Internet forum. Passing it off as work to excuse it, makes it worse.

Back on topic, Newbury ceased to be a market town many years ago. Those who insist it still is help to ensure we might not have as good as infrastructure was could otherwise have.  

Quoted from user23.3

I'm not going to discuss this any more. It was a tongue in cheek comment that perhaps one needs to take stock if one is replying to oneself at 3.30am on Sunday morning on an Internet forum. Passing it off as work to excuse it is makes it worse.

Back on topic, Newbury ceased to be a market town many years ago. Those who insist it still is help to ensure we might not have as good as infrastructure was could otherwise have.  

Newbury is a small town with infrastructure that has not kept up with growth.
We will never have a good infrastructure if we let the developers take the lead as we do now? No profit in infrastructure is there? Just look at some of the latest developments where infrastructure was planned and how much actually occurred? The developers just seem to ignore infrastructure as soon as building actually starts? Who has let them do this? What is the purpose of the planning department?

Until long term plans are made as to how much the town is going to grow over a certain period then we will always be playing catch up as far as infrastructure is concerned. We need to be proactive instead of reactionary as we are at the moment? It appears that WBC only decide to do something after a problem has occurred rather than asking will this cause any problems and if so what are the solutions?  

Quoted from Cognosco

Newbury is a small town with infrastructure that has not kept up with growth.
We will never have a good infrastructure if we let the developers take the lead as we do now? No profit in infrastructure is there? Just look at some of the latest developments where infrastructure was planned and how much actually occurred? The developers just seem to ignore infrastructure as soon as building actually starts? Who has let them do this? What is the purpose of the planning department?

Until long term plans are made as to how much the town is going to grow over a certain period then we will always be playing catch up as far as infrastructure is concerned. We need to be proactive instead of reactionary as we are at the moment? It appears that WBC only decide to do something after a problem has occurred rather than asking will this cause any problems and if so what are the solutions?  

Doesn't the Newbury Vision 2025 cover much of what you ask? I agree with you partly, in that Newbury is a medium sized town with infrastructure that has not kept up with growth but this is more down to those who would have you believe it is still a small market town.

Quoted from user23.3

Doesn't the Newbury Vision 2025 cover much of what you ask? I agree with you partly, in that Newbury is a medium sized town with infrastructure that has not kept up with growth but this is more down to those who would have you believe it is still a small market town.

So are you saying it is WBC who are trying to keep it a small market town? It is they who make all the decisions surely? Have you compared the 2005 vision of Newbury with what it is like at the moment?  No comparison from what I can see?  We would not be have all the problems with roads, doctors surgeries etc that we have now if it had all gone to plan.

Quoted from Cognosco

So are you saying it is WBC who are trying to keep it a small market town?

No.

Quoted from user23.3

No.

So who are the certain people you are referring to? As has been decided by the majority of posters WBC do not take heed of what the general taxpayer has to say? So again who are you referring to? Local mafia or developers perhaps?  

Quoted from user23.3

Doesn't the Newbury Vision 2025 cover much of what you ask? I agree with you partly, in that Newbury is a medium sized town with infrastructure that has not kept up with growth but this is more down to those who would have you believe it is still a small market town.

What is the body that is responsible for the infrastructure of the town. Who takes S106 payments to deal with the growth requirements I wonder.
The 2025 Vision seemed to have more of a bias towards cobble paving areas of Newbury and digging up the Wharf rather than dealing with infrastructure

Quoted Text

Just to clarify this posting...

The closure of Park Way Bridge will commence from March 7th
The change to the pedestrianised zone will not take effect until March 17th (10 days later).

That is going to be a shocking 10 days.

Quoted from James_Trinder

That is going to be a shocking 10 days.

No of course not WBC have had a project Manager working on this.  

Quoted from user23.3

Doesn't the Newbury Vision 2025 cover much of what you ask?

As you have brought up the subject of the 2025 Vision, here are a few extracts from the WBC website which laid out the plans in 2003 that may be worth noting…..

The Vision does not contain every last detail. This is the task for documents such as the Local Development Scheme, Local Transport Plan and development Briefs/Masterplans for specific sites.
Furthermore, the Vision is not intended to address issues relating to the future growth of Newbury and its environs. Such debates are undertaken through the regional and strategic planning process.
In terms of housing provision, for example, this is set out in the Berkshire Structure Plan. The emerging Berkshire Structure Plan 2001 - 2016 currently identifies the need for West Berkshire to accommodate an additional 9,000 homes during the plan period. The Vision acknowledges that Newbury will have a role to play in providing some of this.

Ease of movement - a place that is easy to get to and move around.
To promote accessibility and make places easier to get through and by making places that
connect with each other, putting people before traffic and integrating land uses and transport.

Statement 24: All of Victoria Park must be retained as a public open space
(687 agree   128 disagree)

Statement 40: I don't want Newbury to become a shopping destination like Reading or Basingstoke
(450 agree 264 disagree)
Sorry, first post wrong agree figure in statement 40

Quoted from brian

As you have brought up the subject of the 2025 Vision, here are a few extracts from the WBC website which laid out the plans in 2003 that may be worth noting…..

The Vision does not contain every last detail. This is the task for documents such as the Local Development Scheme, Local Transport Plan and development Briefs/Masterplans for specific sites.
Furthermore, the Vision is not intended to address issues relating to the future growth of Newbury and its environs. Such debates are undertaken through the regional and strategic planning process.
In terms of housing provision, for example, this is set out in the Berkshire Structure Plan. The emerging Berkshire Structure Plan 2001 - 2016 currently identifies the need for West Berkshire to accommodate an additional 9,000 homes during the plan period. The Vision acknowledges that Newbury will have a role to play in providing some of this.

Ease of movement - a place that is easy to get to and move around.
To promote accessibility and make places easier to get through and by making places that
connect with each other, putting people before traffic and integrating land uses and transport.

Statement 24: All of Victoria Park must be retained as a public open space
(687 agree   128 disagree)

Statement 40: I don't want Newbury to become a shopping destination like Reading or Basingstoke
(219 agree 264 disagree)

Reading this it looks as though it was out of date before the ink was even dry then?

Regardless...Parkway is f****n' disgrace.

Quoted from user23.3

Doesn't the Newbury Vision 2025 cover much of what you ask? I agree with you partly, in that Newbury is a medium sized town with infrastructure that has not kept up with growth but this is more down to those who would have you believe it is still a small market town.

The Newbury Vision doesn't do much on infrastructure - a big shopping complex in the middle of town is to have the resultant increase in traffic resolved by some smart signs indicating where there are parking spaces. Car parks in the middle of town were closed (a cinema being built on one).  Pedestrianisation and block paving of the main streets. Wharf car parks to go before long.  Then the 'urban village' will bring more traffic.  Traffic issues are covered by some fiddling with roundabout layouts.

Test Posting

West Berkshire Council and its motley crew of councillors seem to have a different definition of "improvement" to the one that the rest of us are used to.

Quoted from Greenham Common

Regardless...Parkway is f****n' disgrace.

Can't see Parkway working if cars are unable to get in and out of there without a lot of hassle?
I can foresee problems with the cobbles in Northbrook Street as well? If rush hour traffic is going to be able to go through at five that will increase the amount of cars per hour going through and that will be far more wear and tear. Don't think the cobbles will take that?

Quoted from Cognosco

Can't see Parkway working if cars are unable to get in and out of there without a lot of hassle?
I can foresee problems with the cobbles in Northbrook Street as well? If rush hour traffic is going to be able to go through at five that will increase the amount of cars per hour going through and that will be far more wear and tear. Don't think the cobbles will take that?

The cobbles will take it, but the way they are installed might not!
I am amazed at the amount of repair work that has had to be carried out on the cobbled area's of the town centre, some of which has not been down 5 years!

Perhaps the contractors should take a lesson from the Romans, whose cobbled roads of nearly 2,000 years ago are still in use in some places, and certainly did not fall apart in five years!!

Quoted from LocalRes

Northbrook Street to open to traffic at 5.00pm instead of 6.00pm

Only 12 years late!

It is OK now as they have driven all the shoppers away so no danger to pedestrians is there?