Response to South Gloucestershire Council's Consultation on Thornbury High Street

“Thornbury Town Council does not feel that the consultation questionnaire is adequate to respond to South Gloucestershire Council’s plans for the Thornbury Town Centre and as such request that this commentary is reviewed and considered alongside the consultation.

The Town Council has received many comments from members of the public and organisations in the town about the High Street changes that South Gloucestershire Council have imposed. It is clear that the implementation of the current scheme has not gone well and that there are implications on traffic flow elsewhere within the Centre that need to be reviewed.

The Town Council is concerned that South Gloucestershire Council through this consultation is only focussed on the one option for Thornbury Town Centre and the High Street. Whilst the Town Council is keen that something is done to make the High Street more ‘pedestrian friendly’, the Town Council requests that this consultation concludes with the solution that wider consideration and public consultation is necessary.

The Town Council is of the view that there are many options for the future flow of traffic and pedestrians in the High Street and surrounding roads and as such requests that at the end of this consultation, South Gloucestershire Council continues to work with the Town Council to carry out an urgent, comprehensive review of traffic movements in the Town Centre. This review should result in a menu of options being available for the residents of Thornbury to comment on instead of the single take it or leave it proposal that South Gloucestershire Council is currently consulting over which is to pedestrianise the High Street permanently.

The Town Council requests that this review is undertaken urgently so that there is some choice made available for Thornbury residents and businesses on the way forward for the Town.”

Thornbury Town Council response to Thornbury High Street consultation