Billing Road 'one-way street' plan will impact Northampton's A&E and traffic problems, say councillors

A plan to turn a main Northampton road into a one-way street has sparked a mixed reaction from the town's councillors.

Yesterday (September 10), the Chronicle & Echo revealed a bid put to central Government by the county council to fund a £1.4m project to turn Billing Road into a westbound one-way street.

The opposite carriageway on the mile-long road would then be used to make a segregated two-way cycle lane as part of a wider plan to make two-and-a-half miles of cycle routes starting in Wellingborough Road.

But councillors with wards along Billing Road have reacted negatively to the idea, and are concerned it will put strain on the town's traffic while disrupting how ambulances and residents reach A&E.

"I think it's a nightmare," said county councillor for Castle ward Winston Strachan [Lab.]. "I'm in favour of cycling and walking but not this.

"We have to think about the people of Northampton. We have three major institutions on that piece of road - Northampton General Hospital, St Andrew's Hospital and Northampton School for Boys.

"It would be fine for people driving into the town but what about if you need to get out? How about access to the school or the hospital? I think it's going to be a nightmare."

"I've never heard of anything so silly in my whole life," said borough councillor for Rushmills Penelope Flavell (Con). "This is a typical county council idea that doesn't take into account how it will affect local people or how traffic works in the town centre.

"It's a major access route for the town. This plan will mean more traffic will have to run on St Edmunds Road, Bedford Road and Wellingborough Road, which are busy as it is.

"Before we go any further there needs to be a period of monitoring cars and bicycles on Billing Road."

The council has applied for the funding as part of the second tranche of the Emergency Active Travel Fund, which is a Government scheme to help councils pay for projects that encourage cycling and walking in support of social distancing.

Reports suggest that the council will be allocated up to £1.4m of Tranche 2 funding from the Government - but the Billing Road plan is just one of four schemes the council put to the Department of Transport.

Steve Miller of the Northampton Green Party said: "I'm concerned that the indicative funding for this scheme is £1.4m. Anything that gives cyclists a but of priority and makes cyclists safer is a good thing. But I question whether it's a good use of such a large portion of funding."

Borough councillor for Castle Ward Danielle Stone [Lab.] said she was in favour of making the road safer for cyclists so long as the effect the plan has on residents is thought through.

She said: "I've used those [existing] cycle lanes myself and they don't feel safe. I've wanted something to happen for a long time and this seems to me like a very radical plan.

"We need radical plans so long as they take into account the transport needs of everyone else in the community."

It comes after nearby Rushmere Road was last week fitted with traffic wands along the southbound side to create a segregated cycle lane. The wands have been met with criticism from homeowners.

It comes as the county council is also asking for residents' views on a 60-page consultation aimed at redesigning Northampton's major roads to become a "leading cycling and walking town", including an outline for the Billing Road scheme.