Lorries and vans which snarl up Kendal's streets by making deliveries during rush hour in the morning and early evening are one step closer to being banned in the latest attempt to ease traffic flows through the town.

The thorny issue of how to deal with the bumper-to-boot gridlock affecting commuters and visitors was decided yesterday by Cumbria County Council's local area committee for South Lakeland.

Members agreed a range of peak-time and all-day loading and unloading restrictions, targeting "critical" town centre streets that are "vital" to the flow of traffic, but sometimes obstructed.

Business representatives have already warned some of the restrictions are "unworkable" and that no evidence of delays or their frequency have been provided to support the decision.

The measures provisionally introduced this week will affect delivery patterns in such areas as Blackhall Road, Sandes Avenue and Stramongate, New Road, Station Road, Lowther Street, Highgate and Stricklandgate.

Peak-time restrictions will be between 8am-10am and 4pm-6pm, while all-day restrictions will be between 8am and 6pm from Monday to Saturday.

Councillors agreed the restrictions should not be introduced until businesses had a chance to respond, while the measures will be assessed and reviewed if introduced to make sure they are working.

The areas pencilled in for all-day restrictions are Sandes Avenue, the north side between Stricklandgate and Blackhall Road, and Stricklandgate north, between Sandes Avenue and Busher Walk

Those areas set for peak-time restrictions are Blackhall Road both sides between Sandes Avenue and Stramongate; New Road both sides between Lowther Street and Blackhall Road; Station Road both sides the whole length.

Lowther Street will be subject to existing peak time loading bans; Highgate's east side only between Lowther Street and Stricklandgate; while Stricklandgate will retain its existing peak time loading bans.

The decision yesterday to advertise the restrictions followed consultations with 33 organisations that operate in the Kendal area, ranging from the chamber of commerce to taxi drivers, resident associations and councils.

Only half of the list of consultees responded, and members agreed with Rob Lawley, a principal consultant for Capita, that individual shopkeepers and businesses should be given the chance to put in their objections to the committee.

In the initial consultation, the Kendal Partnership Steering Group said the proposed restrictions generated some concerns among traders, while the Kendal Retail Forum described the proposals as "unworkable."

In its response, the Road Haulage Association stated that a large proportion of the affected businesses did not have a rear delivery point.

"It will be almost impossible for shops along Highgate -Stricklandgate to receive deliveries. If deliveries are not received then shops cannot sell goods."

Supporters of the scheme included taxi companies, cyclist groups and SLDC's environmental protection group. Members decided to hold proposals to introduce a with-flow by-lane between the town hall and Library Road and a right turn ban from Blackhall Road into Stramongate, until the outcome of a study into phase one of the traffic report expected in June.

May 9, 2003 10:30