Changes to overnight closure of Bridge Street from February 5

Bridge Street has been closed to traffic between 8pm and 4am on Friday and Saturday evenings since 28 November 2009 under an experimental traffic order.

The initiative has been taken by the Safer Stronger Northampton Partnership to increase public safety in the town-centre street, which is packed with people visiting pubs, restaurants and clubs at the weekend, and cut the risk of crime and disorder.

The aim is to create a safer environment that will attract more people of all ages to use the pubs, clubs and restaurants in the area and the wider town centre.

A number of practical concerns and suggestions were raised at a public meeting last week, held two months after the first closure, to find out what people think about how it is working. These included the timing of the closure, the issue of being collected and the fear that the closure was encouraging people to behave badly. 

The SSNP took away those suggestions for consideration and as a result, there will be a number of changes to the closure from this Friday, February 5.

These are:

• Bridge Street will not be closed until 10pm instead of 8pm on Friday and Saturday nights
• Traffic will now be allowed to pull in to the bottom of Bridge Street to drop off and pick up, turning round in a circle created by moving the closure barriers up Bridge Street to the point where the yellow lines end and the parking bays start
• Notices will be put on the barriers to show that this is an official drop off point

These changes will run for a four-week trial period and will be monitored on a weekly basis, with another chance for the public to feed back at a public meeting at the Guildhall at 4pm on Monday 1 March.

The partners say that already, having a traffic-free Bridge Street has made it easier for the Police to spot and defuse trouble before it starts and door staff find it easier to manage queues, which should make the area more attractive for everyone to visit.

Speaking on behalf of the Safer Stronger Northampton Partnership, Councillor Paul Varnsverry, Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement at Northampton Borough Council said: "We have listened to what people told us at the public meeting and have made some changes to the closure of Bridge Street to take their constructive suggestions into account.

"Our aim is to make Bridge Street a safer, better place for everyone who uses the town at night and we hope that ultimately, the fact that it is less crowded and easier for pedestrians to use encourages more people to socialize in the area. We want the changes to work for the benefit of everyone who uses the town.

"It is only ever a very small minority of people who behave anti-socially but we are committed to improving Northampton for the law-abiding majority."

Anyone who wishes to formally object to the Experimental Closure Order must do so in writing to Northamptonshire County Council before May 27.

The Safer Stronger Northampton Partnership is made up of Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue and other partners.

More information is avialable on the community safety pages of our web site.