TrustNews Mar 22
Winchester Movement Strategy
John Beveridge reports on the recent consultation
The Movement Strategy was published jointly by the County and City Councils in 2019 with general public support for the central aim of reducing city centre traffic. Since then consultants have examined various options for making changes to traffic management, and the long anticipated next steps were published in December last year for public consultation which closed on 11 February.
While the Trust supported eight of the ten proposals, the overall feeling is one of disappointment at the limited nature of what is being suggested. While it could be argued that the changes would advance the aim of reducing traffic in the city, their limitations are such that they are likely to make a minimal difference. Perhaps the most interesting suggestion is the introduction of bus gates, which give priority to buses on some of the radial roads into Winchester that could exclude cars either for all or part of the day. However, these are conditional on further feasibility studies being undertaken for what seems a simple action that could be implemented quickly.
The impression given is that nothing much will change quickly, as though we have limitless time to make gradual changes, but the context in which the Movement Strategy was formed three or four years ago is now outdated. Since then, the impacts of climate change have grown at an alarming pace, requiring urgent action to reduce carbon emissions. In the next eight years the government requires a reduction in emissions since 2019 of about 40%, and as transport is the largest source of these, a much bigger reduction in vehicle use is required than the 10% proposed by the County Council.
Winchester Traffic
Government policy has been tightened in other areas and funding for changes in transport is now dependent on showing how they will deliver significant reductions in emissions.
Let us hope we can see some early improvements with a determined effort to achieve the changes needed by 2030.