RADICAL MOVE TO IMPROVE NIGHT TIME SAFETY
17 FEBRUARY 2006
From the WMDC Press and Communications Office
Wakefield's
main street through the city centre will soon be closed to all traffic
except taxis and buses on evening weekends to help boost community safety.
Council
officers and West Yorkshire Police have teamed up to develop the plan which
will also see Westgate made a one way route only away from the city between
7pm and 4.30am on Friday and Saturday nights.
The
scheme has been developed following extensive consultation with private hire
and hackney carriage drivers, public transport operators and emergency
services. It is aimed at further reducing violent crime in the city centre
and helping people move quickly away from the area once they are ready to go
home.
The
trial scheme will be launched in May and subject to regular review with
scope for further measures if the scheme can be improved.
Westgate
will be closed to all non-taxi or public transport traffic from 7pm at its
junction with Wood Street. Only buses, taxis, hackney carriages and
emergency vehicles will be able to use the route.
Council
leader Councillor Peter Box said: "Our aim is to make Wakefield city
centre a safer place. This is one way we hope to make it easier for people
who have enjoyed a night out to disperse more quickly and easily when they
are ready for going home. We have worked hard with taxi and private hire
drivers, bar and club owners and all our partners to come up with a trial
scheme that will hopefully reduce still further the number of incidents on
Friday and Saturday nights."
Chief
inspector Simon Whitehead added: "This is one of a number of measures
in place to help reduce incidents of disorder and alcohol related crime. It
is a serious issue for the city, and at this stage we are looking at this
new scheme as one of a number of options. It will not necessarily be the
final solution, and there may be other measures we need to try out following
the trial and evaluation. However we have had support from partners who all
share our aim to make Wakefield a safe place to visit."
Ref:
PR719
Date: 17/02/06
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