Update on changes to Cirencester's town centre

Gloucestershire County Council has said that the first phase of changes which aim to improve the safety of the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists will come into effect in the spring. 

The council has also confirmed that there have been some alterations to their initial plans for Cricklade Street.

Several traffic orders were initially proposed to respond to the issue of vehicles continuously ignoring the pedestrian only sign at the Market Place entrance of Cricklade Street.

The pedestrian zone sign which is currently in front of Savills in Cricklade Street, Cirencester (Image: Camilla Foster)

For example, GCC proposed a No Entry sign which would prohibit any vehicle (apart from cycles) from entering Cricklade Street from the junction with the Market Place. 

A similar order prohibiting any vehicles (apart from cycles) from entering Cricklade Street from the junction with Ashcroft Road was also drafted.

In addition, GCC also planned to prohibit right turn movements from West Way into Cricklade Street from any vehicles apart from cyclists.

However, after receiving feedback from a number of concerned business owners and residents, the GCC is now considering a camera-based solution for Cricklade Street instead.

The council believes that installing cameras on Cricklade Street could be more effective at managing traffic.

GCC said that cameras only became an option when the government granted the council moving traffic enforcement powers last summer.

A spokesperson for GCC said: “We are still working to implement changes here in the spring. 

"Our aim is to improve access to the town centre, support local businesses and make it better for pedestrians.

“We have listened to feedback from businesses and residents about plans to restrict traffic entering Cricklade Street. 

"Rather than opening up an alternative access from West Way we now propose to use cameras to manage traffic entering Cricklade Street from the Market Place. 

"This will require a separate consultation in the summer.

"Several businesses in Cricklade Street rely on deliveries at the front so we will need to retain some provision for loading.”

GCC also added that parking changes around the town centre - which include additional parking bays, loading bays and disabled bays - will be dealt with first.