The controversial car ban on a city centre street will be scrapped - after a U-turn by council leaders who said it was proving too hard to enforce drivers ignoring the rules.
Norfolk County Council leaders said the ban in Exchange Street will be lifted - to the delight of critics and the despair of those who had supported the restrictions, including leaders at Norwich City Council.
Graham Plant, the county council's cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure said the scheme had been too difficult to enforce.
A survey over a 48-hour period in January found nearly 1,600 motorists had used Exchange Street, despite being banned from doing so.
The closure has led to arguments, jams, fines, protests and arrests - and the Conservative-controlled council has decided, with the experimental traffic order which allowed the ban due to expire in November, to ditch it.
Mr Plant said, with Christmas approaching, the council feared the knock-on effect of the closure could lead to jams elsewhere and "notable disruption".
Last festive season, the county council's highways team employed traffic marshals to enforce the contentious closure, which applied to all vehicles except, at certain times, those making deliveries or loading.
Earlier this year the council bid for government levelling up cash to redesign the road layout
on Exchange Street and Gaol Hill to make it more of a pedestrianised area - but the application was turned down.
The closure had proved divisive. Businesses had said the closure had hit their trade and Tim Bishop, chief executive of The Forum, said the closure caused gridlock at St Giles Street, Bethel Street and up to the Chapelfield roundabout.
Miriam Devlin, owner of DIY and hardware shop Thorns, welcomed the decision to get rid of the ban.
She said: "That's really good news and just in time for the Christmas rush. It has caused us a few issues over recent months."
But some traders had welcomed the closure, while a number of city councillors and cyclists had said it should have - with better enforcement - made streets safer.
The decision was taken by Mr Plant alone after he decided to scrap a committee which had met to discuss Norwich road schemes.
He said: "Safety will always be our priority and it is clear that maintaining the current arrangement would continue to see an unacceptable mix between vehicles and those walking, wheeling and cycling.”
“We therefore will not be making the restrictions permanent, and Exchange Street will reopen to traffic.
"In the coming weeks we will be working with the city council and local businesses on Exchange Street and surrounding area to work through the changes.
"We will be working towards reopening the road in time for the Christmas period and no later than November 18.
“We will continue to monitor the situation on Exchange Street as the road reopens and consider any future schemes for the area as they come forward.”
But Mike Stonard, leader of Labour-controlled Norwich City Council, said: "There are no winners with this decision, only losers.
"Norfolk County Council’s unilateral decision will completely undo the progress we’ve made since Covid to unlock the potential of Exchange Street and make it a more pedestrian focussed, safer space for all users and encourage investment in the local economy.”
"This all shows a staggering lack of ambition and shared vision for our city centre. We urgently call on the county council to rethink their decision."
When the decision to extend the trial were agreed, at a meeting in January last year, Kay Mason Billig, who has since become the leader of Norfolk County Council, said closing Exchange Street would be "disastrous".
She had said: "The more we squeeze people the less likely they are to want to shop here. They will go out of town or carry on online."
A trial which had banned traffic from St Benedicts Street will, however, be made permanent.
The decision to scrap the ban comes after prime minister Rishi Sunak said he wanted to stop the “relentless attack on motorists”.
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