Views sought on street's permanent pedestrianising

Hertfordshire County Council wants to establish whether George Street in St Albans should remain traffic free for most of the weekend

A consultation about whether part of a city should remain free of traffic for most of the weekend has opened.

George Street in St Albans has been closed to all vehicles except bicycles from 11:00 on Saturday to 07:00 Monday since November 2023.

It has been open to traffic at other times, with a one-way system in place.

Hertfordshire County Council said it wanted to establish if George Street should be restored to two-way traffic seven days a week.

The authority said existing arrangements aimed to make the street more pleasant for pedestrians, help businesses accommodate customers more safely, open up outdoor space for events and improve air quality.

A previous consultation saw 51% of respondents say they were in favour of supporting some form of traffic-free space on George Street, while a separate street survey resulted in two-thirds of people expressing a preference for motor traffic restrictions.

Councillor Phil Bibby, who is responsible for highways and transport at the county council, said the authority had recognised some of the changes originally introduced during the pandemic "may have longer-term benefits, helping address long-standing concerns in relation to congestion, parking and access for larger vehicles".

He said: "It is important to address the climate emergency and improve air quality in St Albans, as well as supporting our local businesses wherever possible."

Planters and plastic bollards could be replaced with more permanent features if enough support existed to keep the street free of traffic, he added.

The consultation is open until 16 December on the council's website.