Pictures taken from Towcester Road Bridge, left (above)1998, right 2012.
The case against the St James’ Link Road in local
terms:
1. The road links two congestion hot spots, namely
the St James’/Sixfields area and London Road, Far Cotton.
2. The road link doesn’t take traffic out over all.
Rather it gives more space to fill up with yet more traffic and loads of new
developments go in, majoritively will drive and want to access urban roads.
3. This road goes through an increasingly
residential area. New houses, (see above picture on the right) of modern
construction will surely not welcome more standing traffic emitting fumes and
noise to their neighbourhood?
4. Victoria Parade to the north and the A45 bypass
on top of Hunsbury Hill to the south are both congested and the link road is
London Road, where this new road link would pour yet more traffic into the
system. It is no cure or congestion buster, rather space for more of the same
making the end result worse.
5. If the industrial estate is life expired, surely
the twin needs of more housing and parking should be first in the queue for a
change of use?
6. The idea of a new road bringing sufficient new
investment to heighten viability to industrial units seems incredulous. Rather,
is there sufficient spend capacity in the system seeking the services on offer?
7. The industrial estate seems run down with quite
a few empty or dilapidated spaces. Sometimes we have to accept the life cycle
has run its course and it is time to move on.
By contrast the railway, if restored to regular
passenger and other services, offers to remove on a local and regional basis
traffic from roads through more choice. That will save time and money as well
as inform more footfall and spend to the town centre of Northampton, which
could make or break shops being sustainable or going to the wall. We at ERTA
support the railway and welcome you to do so as well. Please see our website
for more information on how to join and get involved: https://ertarail.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment