An outbreak of rat running and traffic problems caused by the closure of Brentwood High Street has prompted anti-pedestrianisation campaigners to say we told you so.

On Friday July 30 barricades went up at Wilson's Corner, at the London Road and Kings Road junction and at the High Street end of St Thomas Road and Crown Street to allow Essex and Suffolk Water to begin its major programme of refurbishing the water mains which run the length of the High Street.

But while many shoppers have been enjoying the new found peace and tranquility of a car free town centre others are less than impressed with the problems being caused elsewhere by diverted traffic and drivers seeking faster routes.

Chairman of the Save Brentwood Action Group (SBAG), Martin Banks, said the effects of the closure were an indication of what would happen if the town centre ever became pedestrianised.

Martin added: "There has been problems in several roads around the High Street where drivers are using them as rat runs and this has come as no surprise to SBAG as this is exactly what we said would happen when we were campaigning against proposals to pedestrianise the town centre."

And other problems have been reported from taxi drivers and bus users in the town.

Independent taxi driver, Terry Andrews, says many driver rely heavily on the income they get from picking up customers in the High Street on Friday and Saturday nights.

He is calling for the council to 'pull its finger out' and devise a system to be implemented immediately allowing taxis to operate as normal as possible.

Customer Manager for Essex and Suffolk Water, Vanessa Morriss, said so far the work was going to schedule and they had not experienced any major difficulties with the work or the road closure.

Published Monday August 9, 2004

Brought to you by the Brentwood Gazette