By John Baron
Armley residents are being urged to have their say on a £2.9 million to revamp the Armley Town Street area – as traders express concern over its potential impact on their businesses.
Residents and traders attending last night’s Armley Forum meeting heard council highways officials encourage people to take part in a public consultation into the proposals, which aim to reduce bus delays and tackle rat running.
The plans also look to improve the street environment for visitors and shoppers with wider pavements, planting and landscaping and more crossing points.
There will be a reduction of on-street parking spaces on Armley Town Street to facilitate the plans, however nearby short-stay parking will be available at Armley Leisure Centre and Home Bargains (previously Wilko) car park are a short walk to Town Street.
But two traders – Kamal Jeet Singh, who runs Classic English Fisheries, and David Skelton, who owns Skeltons Butchers – both voiced concerns about the loss of parking in front of their shops and the need for access for deliveries.
Mr Skelton said the proposals threatened the future of his 175-year-old business, saying 80% of his trade was from passing traffic and that the current proposals would mean he could lose that.
“I can guarantee that if you put these proposals in front of my shop I will be shut within a year. And I have 16 vans a day come to me to deliver. Access is vital to my business.”
He said problems with anti-social behaviour on Armley Town Street should be tackled instead.
Mr Singh added; “Nobody wants to walk to my shop, we need parking outside to cater for passing trade.”
David O’Donoghue, from the council’s highways department, said that the majority of people using Armley Town Street currently walk there, with buses being the second most popular form of transport.
“We are trying to prioritise the modes of transport which currently prove popular,” he told the forum. “Armley Town Street will be fully accessible by car and you will still be able to drive to Skeltons Butchers.”
Mr O’Donoghue said short stay parking would still be available within a short distance of the shops.
“There are 10,500 vehicles driving along Armley Town Street each day – is that the Armley Town Street people want?” Mr O’Donoghue said. “We have put together a version of what Town Street can be. I appreciate that there will be challenges with what we are proposing but I would urge people to take part in the consultation to help shape what they want the area to look like.”
Another resident feared the move would add to traffic congestion on Stanningley Road, another pointed to past consultations over the cycle superhighway and where ‘local people weren’t listened to.”
The meeting heard it was hoped the new layouts would improve the experience for pedestrians and encourage more investment and businesses moving into the area.
Mr O’Donoghue stressed the importance of taking part in the public consultation and coming up with suggestions on how they would like Armley Town Street to look.
The proposals
The plans include:
- Four new pedestrian crossing points, two located on Armley Town Street, one on Carr Crofts and one on Wesley Road, to improve safety
- Wider pavements to facilitate pedestrians and shoppers, better bus waiting areas and greenery
- New cycling and walking links from surrounding streets to Armley Town Street
- Making Armley Town Street from Theaker Lane to Wesley Road a bus-only section that can also be used by black and white taxis, emergency vehicles and cyclists
- New trees and landscaping, including rain gardens that help to remove surface water run-off
- Better bus waiting areas, with upgraded bus stops
- New pick-up/drop-off short stay parking on Theaker Lane, Stocks Hill and Crab Lane suitable for private hire taxis
- Two road closures on Wesley Road and Theaker Lane to prevent motor vehicles rat running through residential streets
- A reduction of speed from 30 to 20mph along Armley Town Street, to improve safety
- Seven disabled parking spaces retained but relocated and additional loading bays.
The additional pedestrian crossings and wider pavements aim to make it easier and safer for people to walk and wheel around, while the relocation and upgrading of bus shelters will provide a better waiting environment for bus passengers.
The bus-only section of Armley Town Street aims to reduce delays by moving motor vehicle traffic from Armley Town Street to the main roads of A647 Stanningley Road and Tong Road, providing a much larger area of Town Street for shoppers, local markets and events.
Have your say
People are now being asked to share their views on the proposals in a consultation here.
The consultation runs until Thursday, 22 August 2024.
People can also attend a drop-in event to see the plans in more detail. This will run on Thursday, 8 August 2024, 3-7pm, at Interplay Theatre, Armley Ridge Road, LS12 3LE.
To request paper copies of the proposals and the survey, or a reasonable adjustment, please contact 0113 336 8868 or e-mail connectingleeds@leeds.gov.uk.