Joining the 21st Century

Watch out for forthcoming consultations on the potential for one-way traffic through Rhuthun/Ruthin town centre. My guess is that the proposal will see traffic heading westbound from the Well Street/Record Street junction, over the Square and down Clwyd Street. From The Anchor to Record Street, Well Street may well remain two-way. Wynnstay Road could become one-way southbound, from Market Street to Well Street.

What might all this mean? As with everything, there will be points for and against. You can't accept the gain without the potential pain. In favour of a one-way system, it will:

• Allow greater on-street parking. Town traders will be rather content with this. It tries to level the playing field with Tesco by enabling people to park as near to town shops as it does the supermarket.

• Reduce town centre through traffic by diverting half of it onto Park Road, where it belongs.

• Offer an opportunity—perhaps—to tackle St Peter's Square and the potential conflicts between traffic and shoppers there. This coincides with the former mayor's Masterplan (see also here). Whatever happened to that?

And the sacrifices we will need to make?

• One is to endure more street furniture in the form of road signs dotted throughout the town and more parked cars to obstruct the streetscape. These may run contrary to the mayor's Masterplan to de-clutter and I recall that people especially felt that car parking was dehumanising.

• We might see increased traffic speeds that come with traffic always moving in one direction. No longer would there be a need for the Clwyd Street pinch points that currently serve a useful purpose in slowing traffic.

One thing we’re unlikely to see in the consultation is the prospect of pedestrianisation. It's unlikely to be seen as a viable alternative. If you increase the amount of on-street parking, you threaten the viability of car parks. These car parks are already underused. The alternative would be to divert parking off the street to fill spaces in the car park. This would leave the streetscape clear of parked cars and it would align itself with the Masterplan. Easier said than done, of course. Access for deliveries would be needed at certain times.

Imagine a pedestrianised Square from Record Street/Well Street to Clwyd Street/Upper Clwyd Street. The prospect either excites you or it fills you with dread at seeing a panorama devoid of cars that bring life.