Billy Long says

Has it affected the trade in the local shops Sheena?

Sheena Woodside says

You bet it has! New Street has no passing trade now and if you want to do a weekly shop in the Co-Op as a lot of people do, it is impossible to park. I feel it has increased the amount of traffic passing through the town [not stopping] as they try to avoid the traffic lights. It would be good to ask the traders how it has affected them as I hear it day after day. The work going on at the Cross doesn't help either as people are avoiding the town centre. Thankfully it will be finished soon. The most worrying aspect is that when customers start shopping elsewhere. How many businesses can survive this?

Fred Bear says

It has been a waste our time (sat waiting in queues of stationary traffic) and our money (as the money was provided by us in our taxes and spent by donkeys masquerading as politicians). If I can avoid it, I will drive through Glengarnock rather than through the centre of Dalry. As Sheena says, it has degraded access to the shops and caused people (myself included) to go elsewhere to shop.

The parking situation, as alluded to on another thread, is also a contributory factor. How do you get retail footfall when there's less and less available parking? Once upon a time there were lots of car parking spaces by the Cross, but now the numbers have been reduced. Why does it not surprise me that people park illegally. And no, getting a Traffic Warden in will only drive more people away, whilst the fines go to the bottomless pit of NAC, never to be seen again in Dalry.

In answer to the original question, it has been an unmitigated disaster. We have to put up with it, the politicians and 'experts' on traffic management carry on collecting their salaries and bonuses despite their attempts to ruin a town.

Angry? Yes I am.

Billy Long says

I live just off the town centre just about a short stroll into where the shops are in New Street. I find the street a lot quieter than it used to be but that's because it's later in the afternoon I am mostly there. We are all supposed to be encouraged to walk more for health reasons but this is not the case for everyone that has to go and do a full shop as Sheena Woodside says. I suppose when the Smith Street car park is finished it may help a little to ease any illegal parking. At least the Co-op lets you take your trolley to where you car is as long as you take it back. It is annoying that if you want to shop at the Co-op and coming from the Beith direction that you have to drive around Townend St/Roche Way/Main St/North Street and try to find a car parking space to park in or you end up going elsewhere either to Lidl or out of town which means local traders are losing out in these difficult times.

We need something at the Cross on a regular basis like a Farmers market to encourage more punters to shop locally. It is going to cost a lot of money to change it all again with more disruption. We have to learn to make the best of it and try and get drivers not to illegally park which is easier said than done. For the survival of our local shops to help keep our shops open please continue to use them and encourage others to use them, encourage more people to try and walk or take the bus into town rather than take the car. If the traffic system has to change then I hope it is going to be a safe one for everyone to use.

Iain McMillan says

The problem is we can't please everybody.

As commented on here, the local traders will complain it takes away passing trade.

People who do everything by car will complain they have to sit at red traffic lights or can't get parked.

On the other hand as a pedestrian (most of the time) I think it has been a partial success. It is now easier to cross the road in the Townend Street / Roche Way area. The pavement in Main Street is double the width. Less cars coming through Main Street / New Street make things easier for me when I'm up the town.

Billy Long says

I am in total agreement with you Iain as a pedestrian I think it is a lot safer with it also being a more restricted speed of 20 mph.

Okay it takes longer to wait in crossing the road at the lights at the corner paper shop because you really can't see what's coming around the corner and these days I do not take risks crossing the road when the red man comes on.

You won't change everyone's attitude of getting them out of their cars to walk but it is more pleasant to walk into the town centre than drive.

If you are doing a big shop then you will probably need the car or take the bus if you can. If its a nice day then it's far better and more pleasant to walk and you meet more people to talk to if you want to!

Dalry_dude says

Wait a minute ... the traffic light timings are still wrong, cars cheat the one-way system, and side streets are now being used regularly to avoid the lights. This entire scheme is one big mistake !

Billy Long says

You take the risk if you go the wrong way along the one way system, you can end up caught by the police. Remember CCTV will take your number when they become switched on. If you play with fire then you will get your fingers burnt. Simple as that. You could end up with 3 points and a £60 fine.

Ali Davidson says

I'm never going to be a pedestrian in Dalry as I would have an hour's walk each way to buy a few things and I just don't have that amount of time to spare. If I lived closer I would walk but not everyone is able to walk far. We need to balance the needs of pedestrians with the needs of drivers. The bad timings on the current traffic lights and the bad design of the turning into Roche Way cause huge backlogs of traffic which makes it more tempting ofr drivers to use the Main Street as a rat run or to jump lights.

Billy Long says

That is understandable Ali if you are one hour's walk away from the town centre for example if you live in the countryside. Yes the traffic light timings do need altered but that won't please everyone. I thought the junction of turning into Roche Way was fine as I have never seen a problem and to me there is plenty of room for maneuver. Then that's just my thoughts.