Exeter St David’s Green Party councillor, Diana Moore, is urging residents to back a whole neighbourhood approach to proposed temporary social distancing measures for Queen Street and the surrounding area. A Devon County Council consultation, offering three options with varying levels of footway widening and one-way systems for traffic, ends on Thursday 10th December.
Cllr Moore said:
“People have told me they don’t feel safe walking down Queen Street because there isn’t sufficient space on existing footways to maintain social distance. So, I welcome proposals to ensure greater space for the many people who walk, and cycle, in this area. I have long called for Queen Street to be a priority when it comes to temporary social distancing measures.
“However, thinking about the whole neighbourhood is vital to prevent measures adopted along Queen Street leading to more traffic along the Iron Bridge and St David’s Hill. I believe the option of making Queen Street one way eastbound – but two-way for buses and bicycles – and making the Iron Bridge one way westbound – but keeping the rest of St David’s Hill two way – is best. But other sections of road also need to be made safer, especially outside Walnut Gardens because this is a dangerous stretch without any pavements.
“I hope local residents will see the introduction of these temporary measures as a good opportunity to experiment for a period of time and see if some of the ongoing problems such as air pollution, speeding and rat running, especially in St David’s Hill, can be improved.”
Andrew Bell, who is County Council candidate for St David’s and Haven Banks, added:
“A neighbourhood wide approach prevents traffic moving from one location to another. Experience in other places has shown that when measures to reduce the impact of traffic and make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists are introduced, they quickly become popular with most people. Once residents see how much more pleasant and safe their streets become, they tend to want to keep them that way.”