There has been a lot of conversation about Spalding Town centre and vehicles travelling through during pedestrianised times.
I haven’t read all articles so if I am repeating things, I apologise.
A lot reference the 10am-4pm restrictions but on market days – Tuesday and Saturday – the restriction is actually 2am-4pm. Most seem ignorant of this.
Signage is an issue I feel as only outside Elderkins, sideways on to traffic, have I noticed these timings.
And it also took some effort to get the relevant Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) from highways.
It’s not shown on the LCC mapping site for TROs and when i enquired with the department responsible for TROs they advised one didn’t exist!
Furthermore another TRO exists and seemingly conflicts with the parking information near Elderkins.
Eventually I bypassed those responsible for TROs and sourced the information, it was explained the TRO mapping system was not really fit for purpose – great.
I’ve heard that highways say enforcement is totally down to the police as it’s moving vehicles. Yes, police need to examine their enforcement priorities, but the multiple parked vehicles during the restrictions and in the wrong places is LCC’s responsibility so LCC need to act also rather than pass the buck again.
If police/LCC resources do not allow correct enforcement there is little point in making new rules which will be ignored.
If that is the case they need to come clean and state this so we can watch out and try not to be run over in a supposed ‘pedestrianised area’.
Only physical barriers (similar to Wisbech centre maybe) will really do anything to deter drivers that don’t know/don’t care.
And that will of course cost to put in, open/close, repair when drivers try to go through anyway or when it gets vandalised.
LCC are responsible for implementing the pedestrianised area and need to lead in making sure it works, if that means they berate the police to have boots on the ground to enforce this then they should do this.
Graham Bingham
via email
