Village is open for Christmas

10:12am Wednesday 20th October 2004

PLANS which could have seen Blackheath Village closed in the run-up to Christmas have been scrapped after protests from shopkeepers.

Traffic was to be banned from the village as part of work to reduce the speed limit to 20mph shocked traders and residents found out just 48 hours before diggers were due to move in.

Worried their lives and businesses would suffer, more than 100 people gathered on Monday morning to stop the work going ahead.

Council bosses admitted consultation on the plans was inadequate and have done a U-turn on the work, re-scheduling it to ensure roads stay open prior to Christmas.

Chris Ball, chairman of the Blackheath Traders' Association, says he is pleased with what the council has promised.

He said: "The idea they were going to shut off Blackheath before our crucial Christmas trading had us very concerned.

"But we've met with the council and are pleased to hear what they are planning I hope we can trust what they say."

Despite being consulted on the idea of traffic calming, Mr Ball, who runs La Pirata tapas bar, says the council failed to ask traders how the proposed closures might affect their businesses.

The £250,000 scheme is funded by Transport for London and would have seen Tranquil Vale, Montpelier Row and the Lee Road entrances to the village closed between 7.30am and 4.30pm for 11 weeks.

Following the protests, deputy mayor Councillor Gavin Moore agreed to alter plans.

Promising the village will not be closed to through traffic, he says work will start on side-roads first and the majority of the more disruptive elements have been delayed until after Christmas.

He said: "It's a really positive scheme and we haven't found anybody against what we're trying to achieve.

"But not so good is the fact the message didn't get through about disruption and, of course, people were very concerned when they did find out.

"It would have been better to get this right in the first place but I hope the changes we've made will make life easier for people."

Signs around the borough suggesting the village is closed are to be taken down and the details they contain changed to ensure there is no confusion.

The traffic-calming measures will include speed tables, wider pavements and facilities for pedestrians.