Frequently Asked Questions

A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is a legal document that restricts or prohibits the use of a highway network, in line with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The objective of a TRO is to help manage the highway network by improving road safety and accessibility to facilities. 

TROs must follow strict guidelines, set out by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (TSRGD).

Before a TRO can be put in place, there are statutory processes that need to be followed. This includes a fair and robust consultation. Often, as is the case for these proposals, several rounds of consultation will be undertaken in order to gather views to help shape and review the proposals.

You can read more about the TRO process on our website: What is a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO)?

Since initial changes to the Market Place and town centre parking and traffic controls were originally put in place in 2017, GCC and CTC have observed that the current Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is insufficient in regulating car usage, resulting in traffic movements that are not desirable for a safe town centre environment. For example, the existing pedestrian zone restriction in place at the top of Cricklade Street does not effectively restrict the movement of cars along this shopping street. 

Furthermore, the interpretation of the existing restrictions do not align with the town, district and borough councils’ ambitions to prioritise sustainable modes of transport in town centres.

The proposed TROs will simplify the parking and traffic controls in Cirencester town centre, making them easier to understand and adhere to, contributing to a safer and more accessible town centre. 

The proposals prioritise the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and businesses by  pedestrianising areas of the town centre, with the intention of encouraging safely increased footfall .

The distribution and range of parking and loading options across the town has also been carefully reviewed. The changes ensure that businesses continue to be able to operate effectively, blue badge holders have suitable parking places close to town centre amenities, and that taxis are situated in a convenient, prominent and consolidated rank in the Market Place. 

Provision of parking spaces for visitors to the town centre is now consistent across the area, making it simpler to understand and improving the enforceability of restrictions. 

Wider benefits of the changes may include:

• Supporting a healthier and more active lifestyle through improved pedestrian and cycling space. 
• Safer streets due to lower likelihood of collisions with cars.
• Reduction in air and noise pollution due to lower car numbers in certain areas of town.
• Reduction in CO2 emissions due to improved and alternative choices for travel. 

From start to finish TRO consultations and statutory processes can take between 12 to 18 months to deliver. The TRO proposals are currently undergoing a formal public consultation between 24 March and 14 April 2022.

If the representations received during the consultation period can be resolved quickly and satisfactorily for all parties, the proposals could begin to be implemented from as early as Summer 2022.

If significant changes are required following this formal consultation, further work and an additional consultation may be required, lengthening this process.

Not only are we changing the restriction type (from prohibition of driving except for loading to prohibition of entry except for cycles), but the ‘no entry’ signs at the entry to Cricklade Street from Market Place will be made considerably more prominent, as hooped signs in the carriageway.

No, these kinds of improvements cannot be included within the prescriptive scope of a TRO. However, CTC have great ambitions to improve place shaping within the town centre through the Cirencester Neighbourhood Plan. The changes being brought forward through this TRO will support and complement the Town Council’s wider ambitions in this area.

As allowed within the scope of TROs, new cycle parking facilities will be provided at the top of Cricklade Street, in support of the new, safe cycle route through this area of town that the proposals will unlock.

West Way will be reopened for traffic travelling north-bound from North/South Way to Cricklade Street in order to cater for the movement of loading vehicles to businesses on Cricklade Street. Bicycles and pedestrians will be able to use West Way in both directions.

A further benefit of reopening West Way is the ability to provide blue badge parking facilities along the road. It is anticipated that West Way will experience low levels of use making this a quiet, safe location for this. Additional blue badge parking is also being provided on Castle Street, Cricklade Street, Dyer Street and Market Place. 

During our design planning, West Way’s ability to accommodate the types of delivery vehicle that may use it to access Cricklade Street was tested through swept-path analysis. Longer term ambitions of the Council will see the size of delivery vehicles decrease in town centres such as Cirencester, making this a sustainable long term solution too. In the meantime, HGVs will remain banned from using West Way and should use loading bays elsewhere in the town centre. 

The existing short-stay, limited waiting parking provided on Dyer Street and Cricklade Street is being replaced by a mix of longer stay P&D parking, disabled parking bays and loading bays to benefit local businesses. The transition to P&D restrictions bring the parking on these streets in line with other areas of the town centre, simplifying the options available to users. 

The costs associated with the P&D facilities in this area, as in other areas of the town centre, are flexible and incurred incrementally.

Furthermore, introducing charges for parking further supports GCC, CD and CTC’s ambitions to encourage increased use of sustainable transport. 

The charges associated with the P&D bays will match those already in place elsewhere on these town centre streets:

There are not currently any allocated residential parking spaces within the scheme boundary. No additional residential parking spaces have been proposed as the streets included within the study are predominantly commercial in use.