Nelson town centre parking revamp under review after warning it could send businesses bust

Work on a multi-million pound upgrade of Nelson town centre got under way earlier this year, but a forthcoming phase of the scheme, focussed on Scotland Road, prompted concern after it emerged several on-street parking laybys would be removed.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands Lancashire County Council is now trying to tweak a small part of the ‘Accessible Nelson’ project to come up with an alternative – but that any rethink will hinge upon the approval of a government agency which is providing some of the funding for the improvements.

A key element of the town’s revamp involves the creation of new cycling and pedestrian facilities, designed to reduce reliance on car journeys and better connect destinations such as Nelson and Colne College and the train station and bus interchange.

To fulfil that aim, the county council plans to install both segregated cycle lanes and shared footpaths and cycleways along swathes of Scotland Road.

However, the changes will require the removal of just over a dozen, free, one-hour parking spaces. When the details were published as part of a public consultation held over the summer, they were the subject of criticism from multiple businesses on the street – along with County Cllr Azhar Ali, who represents the affected Nelson East division.

At a cabinet meeting earlier this month during which the latest aspects of the Accessible Nelson vision were approved, County Cllr Ali – who is also the leader of the Progressive Lancashire opposition alliance – appealed to the authority to make “small design changes” to deal with local concerns.

He said the main issue was the threatened loss of what a cabinet report indicated were four spaces outside the AH Interiors store.

“There are established businesses there that have been [in operation for] 30-plus years – [and] the only parking for them is there.

“It will put [them] out of business…and it’s going to become a dog’s breakfast,” Country Cllr Ali warned.

He said that while surrounding streets were without parking restrictions, there was rarely any space to be found on them.

County Cllr Warren Goldsworthy, cabinet member for highways and transport on the Reform UK-run authority, said he had visited the site “to gain a better understanding of the issues involved” – and stressed that there was “limited road space” available in the area.

“I recognise the importance of on-street parking to local businesses. In this instance, I believe the balance has been struck between maintaining as much parking as possible while still providing new, high-quality cycling and walking facilities in line with the ethos of the [funding],” he explained.

County Cllr Goldsworthy pledged to ask the authority’s highway officers to look at any opportunities for “further parking” in the vicinity, but cautioned against doing anything that would delay the work, because of the “negative impact” it would have on the delivery of the wider Accessible Nelson programme.

County council leader Stephen Atkinson expressed similar concern, but agreed to broker a meeting with County Cllr Ali to see if a way forward could be agreed – without the opposition formally having to ‘call in’ the decision for official reconsideration.

The LDRS understands that the gathering with highways chiefs took place within 24 hours and County Cllr Ali says it was agreed that as long as it was feasible, the authority would “redesign the scheme at the short stretch [outside the furniture store], which affected the businesses”.

However, any proposed tweaks will then have to be submitted to Active Travel England – the government body set up to promote cycling and walking as transport options – because of their contribution to and involvement with some aspects of the scheme. If the organisation objects, then the original design would stand, as it has now been officially agreed by cabinet.

But even in that scenario, there may be hope on the horizon for concerned retailers, after County Cllr Goldsworthy said he had noticed some disused ground on the corner of Charles Street – opposite the furniture shop – which is owned by Pendle Council and could provide a replacement for the lost spaces and more besides.

Other Accessible Nelson measures approved by the cabinet included making Charles Street one way – running from Scotland Road to Fleet Street – in order to improve safety.

Meanwhile, half a dozen new pedestrian crossing points – included four zebra crossings – will be installed on Scotland Road and Clayton Street.

Funding for the overall project is coming from shares from the £25m Nelson Town Deal and the county council’s near £50m allocation from the Levelling Up Fund for travel and transport schemes across East Lancashire.