Bury Park traffic improvement recommendations published

These will now be considered by councillors as part of the council’s decision-making process.

The officer recommendations have been shaped by extensive technical work alongside a public engagement and consultation carried out last autumn, with the feedback from residents, businesses, faith groups and other stakeholders directly influencing the proposals.

The officer recommendations include:

• Improving pedestrian safety by removing parked cars around formal crossing points
• Introducing footway parking restrictions to stop cars parking illegally, keeping pavements clear and accessible for pedestrians
• Introducing an 18-month trial red route, including a three-minute grace period to allow drivers to pick up and drop off without receiving a fine
• Increasing parking availability in the area, including 120 spaces at Luton Town Football Club for shoppers and visitors to use every day of the year, except on matchdays and the day before a match
• Extending loading bay hours from 7pm-7am to 7pm-10am and increasing the maximum stay from 30 minutes to 45 minutes
• Increasing the maximum stay in disabled parking bays from 60 minutes to 90 minutes

Following feedback received during the consultation, it is no longer being recommended that the originally proposed one-way system on Kenilworth Road be taken forward.

The recommendations also include carrying out enhanced monitoring, with reviews proposed after six months and again after 12 months to assess the impact of any trial before any future decisions are considered.

A council spokesperson said: “Bury Park has experienced long-standing issues relating to road safety, congestion and dangerous parking. Safety is our number one priority and these recommendations are intended to improve traffic flow, reduce dangerous parking and ensure pavements and key junctions remain clear.

“We’re grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views and ideas during last year’s consultation. That feedback from residents, businesses, faith groups and other organisations has directly influenced the recommendations and mitigations now being put forward.”

The consultation report and recommendations will be considered by the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board on 27 July.

A final decision will then be taken by the Executive next month.