Drivers could be banned from a Kirkwall town centre street for hours at a time amid concerns for the safety of revellers “congesting” the narrow lane on busy nights.
There is already a traffic ban covering Bridge Street, Albert Street, Laing Street and some adjoining other streets.
However, the current measures include “exceptions” which “leave it open to interpretation.
This results in “confusion and potential abuse by drivers”, said Lorna Richardson, the council’s head of neighbourhood services.
Now, following a request from a local developer, the council is looking at closing the whole length of Bridge Street, Albert Street, and the neighbouring streets between 11am and 3pm each day.
The proposals also include closing the streets to traffic between 11pm and 3.30am overnight on both Fridays and Saturdays.
How would it work?
There would still be some exceptions, for example, emergency vehicles or those for essential utility works.
As these closures would take place at night they would “likely require physical barriers”, Mrs Richardson told councillors on the development and infrastructure committee today.
A report to the committee states that introducing “retractable bollards” at the start of Bridge Street and the end of Albert Street would give “strict control of the prohibition order.”
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Depute council leader Sandy Cowie said: “I think this is a positive step to ensuring the safety of pedestrians in that particular area, it already becomes congested with people spilling out from two hostelries there.”
And it would have other benefits too.
It would reduce the cost of street maintenance which “continues to be a burden on budgets”, the report states.
With the council considering the options, it has begun discussions with the Kirkwall Business Improvement District (BID).
Why so late at night?
Today, councillor Rachael King asked why the council had chosen 11pm to 3.30am for the closure.
She said the streets – which are near several pubs and hotels – are busy with people from as early as 7pm.
Ms Richardson said those were the times in a request from “the local developer”.
She said it is also a result of safety considerations and to limit the amount of traffic “driving around at that time of night.”
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‘We need to consider the implications’ says council’s depute leader
Mr Cowie said further restrictions would be a “positive step” to increasing safety for pedestrians in Kirkwall.
However, he said the council needed to “consider the implications”.
Mr Cowie pointed out that the proposals could cause problems with private parking, “effectively render it a no-parking zone.”
The deputy leader also said there could be problems for residents living in the affected streets returning home by taxi.
He added: “It’s much more complicated than it first might seem.
“This will all shake out in the consultation, I’m sure.
“But we need to consider the impact on people who legitimately need to take vehicles up the street.”
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