The New Year will bring fresh consultations on the future of Brentwood High Street.

In-depth consultations on the town centre will be launched at the end of February with residents and businesses being asked for their views on the two options selected from the five schemes initially put forward.

Brentwood councillors have agreed that option A and D contained in the Mouchel transportation study released earlier this year should be taken forward to full public consultation by Essex County Council.

But, councillors have not indicated any preference for either option in an effort to keep the debate as open as possible.

Deputy Chief Executive, Dave Marchant, said: "Although individual councillors have a view on the options members have deliberately not indicated a preferred scheme. They want to say to the public - 'Here are two options and we want to hear what you think about them'.

"Hopefully the consultations in February will give us an opportunity to have a grown up debate about what is good for the town and I hope that happens."

Option A proposes various traffic calming measures for the High Street and surrounding roads to make it more pedestrian friendly including speed tables and road narrowing.

Option D suggests the creation of one way loops at the eastern and western end of the High Street with timed pedestrianisation of the central section - between Crown Street and St Thomas Road. Under this option the central section would be open to eastbound traffic at peak times.

The consultations will also look at junction improvements aimed at improving capacity and additional pedestrian schemes.

Published Monday January 5, 2004

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