Verdict on proposed Melton one-way route

Proposals to make drivers travel only in a clockwise direction along Wilton Road, Norman Way and Sherrard Street were mooted earlier this year in the county council’s interim transport strategy for the town.

Of the 162 responses during the six-week consultation, 59 per cent opposed the idea, which would have come in after the building of the MMDR partial bypass.

A report which went before County Hall’s cabinet at their latest meeting on Tuesday reads: “Taken as a whole, the feedback received during the engagement in response to the idea of converting the central ring road to a one-way system idea suggests that there is currently little enthusiasm for such radical changes to the routeing of traffic within the town.”

There were also plans in the strategy for converting Mill Street, Regent Street and Brook Street to a one-way eastbound route and this was backed by 43 per cent.

In terms of other elements of the document, there was good support for improving cycling and walking routes in the town. Plans to improve bus and rail services and explore opportunities to install more electric car charging points also received good backing.

The strategy is only at an interim stage while assessments are made on post-pandemic traffic activity and borough council plans are finalised to regenerate the town centre.