Council backing for Holywell High Street de-pedestrianisation

The cost of de-pedestrianising Holywell High Street has been put at £800,000 a Flintshire County County report says.

The council’s Cabinet will be asked to support a proposal to permanently remove the Pedestrianisation Order from Holywell High Street when it meets on 20 November.

Holywell Town Centre currently has a pedestrianised zone on the High Street but there has been much debate regarding the effect it has on High Street businesses, as shoppers cannot stop and quickly visit or collect items of shopping easily .

In July last year, Flintshire County Council received a petition, signed by over 500 residents and businesses in Holywell, requesting that the Pedestrianisation Order should be removed, meaning traffic could freely access the town centre and allow for some free, short stay, on-street parking in the town.

The Council agreed to the introduction of a de-pedestrianised pilot scheme on the High Street, which will end in December.

Holywell Town Council suggested that on completion of the trial, they would hold a Community Poll of all residents with the outcome of the poll then representing the final position of the Town Council,  however it failed to achieve the necessary support for a Poll.

The report to be presented to the Cabinet committee says that while there is support for the move, there is no money to fund it, it says:

“There are currently no funds available to make the necessary permanent changes to the streetscape to accommodate the new traffic arrangements and the cost of the permanent work will be significant. Estimated at £800k.

This position has been made clear to the Town Council and local businesses who recognise that work to obtain grant funding for the scheme will be challenging.”

Deputy Leader of Flintshire County Council said the Welsh Government has signalled its intention to fund the work, he said:

“I am reliably informed that Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport Ken Skates has told local members that Welsh Government will fund [the work] which is great news for Holywell.”

“The Council has worked with Holywell Town Council and agreed the trial period to remove the Order so that an assessment could be done on the benefit of removing the Order permanently. 

Although the trial period is due to come to an end after Christmas, a six month review of the impact took place and concluded that there was both local benefit and support to remove the Order permanently.  The Town Council is, therefore, supporting the removal of the Order.”

When the current pilot finishes, the original Pedestrianisation Order will be reinstated because the existing construction of the road cannot sustain the long-term effect of traffic in its current form.

Following the expected approval from the Cabinet next week, staff from the Council’s Enterprise and Regeneration team will work with the Town Council and local businesses to identify potential funding sources for the final scheme.”