Connecting the Norwich Lanes - your views on proposed new loading and access times

Overview

Connecting the Norwich Lanes - consultation on new city centre loading and access times

In July this year, Norfolk County Council and the Transport for Norwich (TfN) partnership carried out a consultation on a series of proposals called Connecting the Norwich Lanes. These measures were designed to change how the Norwich Lanes area functions and feels by:

• Making it safer and easier to get around on foot or by bike
• Supporting outdoor hospitality and boosting the local economy
• Improving air quality

One element of the consultation was to make the temporary measures to remove general traffic on Exchange Street permanent. The temporary status of Exchange Street is a pedestrian and cycle zone with a closure to motorised traffic between 10am and 5pm, seven-days-a-week. It allows loading and access only at all other times.

Making the closure permanent had a good level of support but one of the points raised was whether an easing of the restriction for loading and access in the afternoon would be better for local businesses. With this in mind, we are putting forward proposed changes to access and loading times for the existing pedestrian and cycle zones in the city centre, as well as proposing the same access and loading restrictions on the new pedestrian and cycle zones put forward in July’s consultation.

What happens next

The deadline for consultation responses is Monday 22 November 2021. The feedback received will then be reported back to the Transport for Norwich Joint Committee in January, along with the outcomes and final proposals following the Connecting the Norwich Lanes consultation. The local councillors on the committee from Norfolk County, Norwich City, Broadland District and South Norfolk councils will then decide how to proceed with the various elements of the project.

The project web page www.norfolk.gov.uk/norwichlanes will be kept up to date with the latest information, progress and relevant committee dates.