Battle lines drawn as Ludlow councillors clash over walking and cycling plans

Councillor Andy Boddington thinks the closure of the narrow King Street for part of Saturdays would be especially good for pedestrians with mobility problems.

But his proposal, part of a comprehensive 40-page response to a Shropshire Council consultation, has provoked an immediate backlash from fellow elected politicians.

Campaigner Darren Childs, speaking in a personal capacity and not as a Ludlow town councillor, said he and Lib Dem county councillors Viv Parry, Tracy Huffer, and Richard Huffer are distancing themselves from Councillor Boddington's proposals. They will be submitting their own plan.

He said: "We are against the closure of King Street and the car park and will be putting in our own counter-proposals to Shropshire County Council.

"We are in support of Ludlow Town Council's proposals for the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) and believe there is a way forward with 90 per cent of the proposals.

"But we can not support anything that will damage trade in Ludlow for the many independent shops market restaurants and pubs.

"Instead we need to focus on improving bus services and our towns park and ride."

Today Councillor Boddington stood firmly behind his call to close the road to most traffic for part of Saturdays and to introduce a large lorry ban.

"Closing King Street to most traffic would substantially improve the experience of pedestrians," he said.

"It is unacceptable that 44 tonne trucks can drive along King Street even when it is crowded out with pedestrians.

"We need to restrict the weight of vehicles coming into the town centre to 7.5 tonnes or 10 tonnes during peak hours.

"It is very difficult for drivers to negotiate the narrows on King Street when it is packed with pedestrians.

"People, including many who are disabled, are forced to squeeze into shop doorways because the pavements are as narrow as 90cm in places.

"I am also proposing an experimental ban on all vehicles using King Street, except buses and taxis, between 11am and 4pm on Saturdays."

Councillor Boddington says this would benefit disabled walkers and those on mobility scooters and in wheelchairs.

He said such a ban would not affect market traders who arrive much earlier in the day on Saturdays, adding that the road is closed anyway for major events.

Councillor Boddington said an experimental closure of Shrewsbury town centre had led to increased footfall there and the same could happen in Ludlow.

Mr Childs said there are examples of other towns where similar plans have had the opposite effect.

But Councillor Boddington added: "I don't understand why people are so opposed to it.

"I think it is the way the council's LCWIP was written. It was a red rag to a bull.

"We saw a lot of controversy, even anger, about proposals for improving walking and cycling around Ludlow.

"Proposals to reduce traffic have too often been rebuffed with vitriolic comments, including claims that the proposals are part of plans to restrict people’s freedom of movement.

"They are nothing of the sort. We do need to reduce congestion in the town centre but not necessarily in the way that Shropshire Council is proposing."

Councillor Boddington added that his Movement Strategy for Ludlow is not just about the town centre.

Responses being sent to Shropshire Council are set to be considered by the authority before any further decisions are made on which projects can be taken forward. The council has said it will carry out more consultations at that stage.

But Councillor Boddington says his movement strategy will form a foundation not just for any funding that follows the LCWIP.

"The strategy could be used whenever there are opportunities for funding improvements to getting into and around Ludlow," he said.

"The problem we have faced in Ludlow is that we don't have ideas of our own, so when there is a chance of funding, we are on the back foot and don't have pre-prepared ideas. That needs to change."