THE controversial low traffic neighbourhoods and bus gate schemes have been scrapped after thousands of residents said no.
The Royal Borough council has announced both these plans will not go ahead after a majority of respondents to their four-week online consultation and those who attended a virtual town hall meeting were vehemently against it.
The government awarded the council £335,000 in second tranche funding from the active travel fund – which is to improve walking and cycling routes in the borough.
Plans for two low traffic neighbourhoods in West Windsor – which would involve road closures and modal filters at specific junctions – saw 2,221 responses with 90 per cent opposed to the proposal.
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The proposed bus gate on Shoppenhangers Road, Maidenhead – which would’ve blocked off all traffic except for buses, bicycles, and hackney drivers – attracted 2,225 responses with 95 per cent against the idea.
Councillor Gerry Clark (Con: Bisham & Cookham), cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said: “The consultation has done its job and we have listened. It is clear from the results that residents are against the bus gate and the low traffic neighbourhood proposals and therefore these schemes will not be progressed.”
However, the school street proposals near local schools in Ascot, Maidenhead, and Windsor, each received mixed support – ranging between 30 and 300 respondents.
According to the council, the majority of respondents supported the schemes proposed for Boyne Hill Infant and Nursery School and Larchfield Primary and Nursery School.
They will now engage with these schools to determine the most appropriate way forward and whether this can be delivered through the available funding.
Other school streets proposals were not supported, including those for Trevelyan Middle School in Windsor, South Ascot Village Primary School and Lowbrook Academy, Newlands Girls’ School and Wessex Primary School in Maidenhead.
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Cllr Clark said: “Covid-19 has demanded that we seek innovative new methods of consulting and the huge response to this consultation shows a real appetite from local residents to be involved in the planning of future infrastructure in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead.
“All responses will be analysed, and we will consider some of the genuinely innovative alternative suggestions that have been put forward.
“When designing these schemes, we prioritise what will support residents’ lives; what will support new house building; what will help meet our commitments to tackling climate change, and what will help support our local economy recovery post-Covid.”
He added consultations, both digital and traditional, will be held in the future to ensure everyone has their say on the schemes.
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