May 17, 2021 3.35 pm This story is over 35 months old

No through traffic: Police remind drivers about Brayford Wharf East restrictions

A public consultation was recently completed

Police were out reminding drivers in Lincoln about the restrictions on Brayford Wharf East. | Photo: The Lincolnite

Police were out on Monday reminding drivers in Lincoln about the driving restrictions on Brayford Wharf East.

The road was closed to through-traffic in October 2020 for a one-year trial to provide a virtually traffic-free route for cyclists and pedestrians to the River Witham path, the university, and to the city centre.

It means motorists cannot turn from St Mark’s Street or Rope Walk into Brayford Wharf East, although access will still be given to emergency vehicles and for business access.

This was introduced in a bid to encourage cycling in the area and a pop-up cycle lane was created as part of the Department for Transport’s emergency active travel fund.

However, this has not stopped drivers ignoring the road closures signs and using it as a rat-run avoiding Tentercroft Street (East West Link Road) and Pelham Bridge (soon to be closed for repairs).

Two police officers and a marked car blocked Brayford Wharf East at the level crossing on Monday morning, reminding motorists the road is closed — as the big red signs at the junction show.

The road closure was introduced in October 2020. | Photo: The Lincolnite

A decision will be made later in the year as to whether to keep the new arrangement in place permanently.

Police were out on patrol on Brayford Wharf East in Lincoln. | Photo: The Lincolnite

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire County Council said: “We’ve just finished consulting on eight further prospective schemes to make cycling and walking easier across the county.

“Only those schemes – or elements of those schemes – with public support will be implemented. We’re analysing the results of the consultation now and will publish them soon.”

Restrictions are in place as part of a year-long trial, for which Brayford Wharf East is closed to through-traffic. | Photo: The Lincolnite

The county council was granted £105,500 from the first round of the fund to support temporary projects during the recovery from the coronavirus crisis, although there is scope for them to become permanent.

The Department for Transport announced the funding allocations for the second round of its active travel fund in November last year, with nearly £800,000 more government funding for Lincolnshire’s pedestrians and cyclists.

The council previously said that this money could fund measures including ‘school streets, where roads around schools are closed to motorists at school times, improvements to pedestrian environments and segregated cycle lanes.

It could also help fund low traffic neighbourhoods, where residential side streets are closed to through traffic to stop rat-running.