Hundreds of Newbury people have voted in the debate over whether Market Place should be turned into a tree-lined piazza, with the town returning a No verdict.
In a straw poll of 500 people voting on this site, after we exclusively revealed that the council has already made plans to remove cars and taxis from Market Place, 56% of voters want vehicle access to remain.
The narrow majority comes after a week of shifting opinion over the issue, there’s mounting concern at the loss of car parks so West Berkshire Council can proceed with its vision.
The council told retailers and businesses at a confidential meeting of the town centre steering group last month: "The intention is to remove all cars from Market Place, so it becomes a focal point. There are no formal proposals as yet, but capital funding has been earmarked."
Despite the concerns, the council has been giving prizes to schoolchildren for coming up with the best idea for the new town square.
The poll will close tonight, so if you haven’t voted yet, there’s still time to make your point.
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