Tag: Transport

It’s time to join up the dots on transport in Ludlow and make it work now and for the future

It’s time to join up the dots on transport in Ludlow and make it work now and for the future

When I walk through the centre of Ludlow, I get tackled on all manner of issues but mostly transport. Road closures. Parking. Buses. These problems are not just confined to the town centre. We live in a town that was not designed for current levels of car ownership. We need to take concerted action to ease the problems. That’s not the only problem we must tackle. Ludlow is a green thinking town. The town council has declared a climate emergency as has Shropshire Council and much of the country. The UN General Secretary yesterday called on all the countries of the world to declare a climate emergency. A sustainable transport for Ludlow is overdue and 2021 is the year in which we must complete it.

Shropshire Council to make most car parks free after 11am from 3 December to 17 January

Shropshire Council to make most car parks free after 11am from 3 December to 17 January

This is welcome. Shropshire Council has announced that most car parks will be free over Christmas and the New Year. This will include Castle Street, Galdeford and Smithfield car parks in Ludlow. Free parking will be from 11am each day until 8am the next morning. This move aims to attract more visitors into Shropshire’s towns after the second lockdown ends on 2 December. This is a crucial time for independent traders who have had a tough year. Similarly, pubs, cafes and restaurants desperately need a boost before towns like ours enter the quiet season between New Year and Easter.

Boris Johnson accelerates drive to electric vehicles as Ludlow Town Council consults on street charging points

Boris Johnson accelerates drive to electric vehicles as Ludlow Town Council consults on street charging points

On Wednesday, Boris Johnson announced his ten point plan for a green industrial revolution. While not as great as he made it out to be, especially as only £4 billion of the £12 billion pledged is new money, it was nevertheless a welcome move from a government that had pushed roads to the top of its transport agenda. The prime minister’s ten point plan seeks to increase power from offshore wind; increase low carbon hydrogen power; new nuclear power; green public transport, cycling and walking; zero emission jets (really?) and green ships. The plans also seek to accelerate the shift to zero emission vehicles, including by financing the rollout of on-street charging points. Shortly before Boris Johnson’s announcement, Ludlow Town Council launched a welcome consultation on installing on-street charging points in Ludlow.

We are back to “the car is king” after lifting of King Street middle of day closure Friday and Saturday

We are back to “the car is king” after lifting of King Street middle of day closure Friday and Saturday

We are in lockdown again as cases soar across the county. But Shropshire Council last week decided to remove social distancing measures in Shrewsbury and the market towns including Ludlow. That means closures on King Street are no longer in place on Fridays and Saturdays. I don’t agree with this. Even with reduced footfall we need the full width of social distancing to maintain social distance and to promote it as an attractive street. However, Ludlow Town Council was in favour of opening King Street fully again and lifting restrictions. It is not known whether Shropshire Council or Ludlow Town Council wishes to reimpose the restrictions when lockdown ends.

Dinham Bridge has taken a lot of heavy traffic this year – it’s to be closed for inspection on 20 October

Dinham Bridge has taken a lot of heavy traffic this year – it’s to be closed for inspection on 20 October

Dinham Bridge will be closed on Tuesday 20 October 2020 from 9.30am to 4pm to enable a routine inspection of the bridge, which carries the road over the River Teme at Dinham. While the road is closed, traffic will be diverted along Dinham, Lower Wood Road, Whitcliffe Road and the B4361 by a signed diversion. This inspection has been scheduled for a while but we really need it this year. The official diversion for vehicles during the King Street closure (which looks likely to end next week) was over the Whitcliffe. We need to inspect our historic bridge to ensure the historical fabric is unscathed and there are no structural issues.

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