COUNCILLORS have finally made a decision on the future of Wisbech Market Place.
At Friday's Area Joint Committee (AJC) meeting, members took just five minutes to decide, by a majority, to go for Option 2, the scheme favoured by Wisbech traders and town councillors.
This option sees the Horsefair side of the Market Place close
d to traffic. On non-market days, shoppers will be able to park on the south side of the Market Place where there will be one-hour paid-for parking bays. Evening parking will be free.
The current blue badge spaces will remain but will also be restricted to one hour. Additional blue badge parking will be provided in some nearby streets.
Delivery drivers will be able to park on the south side of the Market Place in unloading bays.
During market and event days there will be no access for general vehicles, including delivery drivers.
Leading trader campaigner David Williams, from G W Frank, said: "We are very pleased with the outcome. At long last the council have seen some sense.
"This has been going on for years but finally they have given the people of Wisbech what they wanted. You only have to look out there to see how many cars are parked on the Market Place.
"I would like to thank all the other traders who have campaigned for this and the public who voted for Option 2. I hope this will bring better things to Wisbech."
The decision follows a lengthy discussion over the Market Place. There are current restrictions on access for vehicles, but a lack of enforcement.
Public consultation was carried out with opinion divided fairly equally between the two options offered.
Shoppers tended to go for Option 1, which would see the Market Place largely pedestrianised with restricted vehicle access and no parking on the Market Place itself.
At the AJC meeting, chair Simon King dissuaded members from picking over the finer details of the options, reminding them they were merely there to choose an option to take forward.
"We are not here to draw up a detailed specification. A lot of work needs to be done," he said.
Option 2 will now go forward to the detailed development stage. It will come up for consideration before Fenland Cabinet next month and be discussed further in May or June by the stakeholders.
It is hoped the plans will be back before the AJC in October for the committee to approve changes for implementation.
