Skip navigation

Gloucestershire Business News

Footfall figures fail to calm controversy over Boots Corner

Footfall figures for Boots Corner in Cheltenham are being championed as proof the controversial scheme to close the once business road to cars is already a success.

According to the local authority behind the trial to make the road closure permanent indications are it could well see vastly more pedestrians and cyclists breach the once great divide between upper and lower high streets.

Perhaps not surprisingly the Cheltenham Borough Council press release championing the apparent success of the 18-month trial a little over four months in does not cut the mustard with those independent businesses who claim their trade is still being damaged by the closure.

Read the borough council press release here: Boots Corner footfall figures - take 1. 

According to what are the first set of footfall figures released by the council since the start of the 18-month trial in June there has been an 84 per cent increase in pedestrians crossing from East to West - or vice versa - and a 200-plus percentage increase in cyclists doing the same.

Also dramatically increasing over the same period - the week commencing June 11 as compared to the week commencing July 2 - were the wheelchair and mobility scooter users (by 55 per cent).

The council sourced comments from James Cleeton, England director south of the pro-cycling charity Sustrans, for the release.

He told them: ''The initial findings from the trial are extremely encouraging and demonstrate the positive impact reducing vehicles from the centre can have.

"An 84 per cent increase in pedestrian movement can only have a positive impact on the local economy, air quality and create a vibrant place to spend time and travel through.''

Cllr Andrew McKinlay, cabinet member for development and safety at the borough, said: "Overall, the data so far suggests that the trial road closure has not have a negative impact on visitors to the high street, actually the reverse.

"We can see that people travel into town far more by public transport, bike or on foot. These are the people who are spending money in our shops, enjoying our cafes, bars and restaurants and our wider cultural offer."

Those businesses and others who have been vocal in their campaigning against the closure will point out no data is available to show whether the figures equate to a any increase in spending.

They have argued the on-going trial and consultation was a formality from the start and leans in favour of the big-money developers who have invested substantially at either end of the high street - most notably John Lewis and The Brewery Quarter.

Chun F Kong, owner of the successful The Mayflower restaurant and a former member of Cheltenham Bid, dismissed the figures: "Their figures are quite meaningless when all the independent businesses in the Clarence St/Clarence Parade are down, that's a fact.

"We have been orphaned by CBC. We are not on a level playing field.

"CBC acts like mobile phone company, always looking out for new customers and enticing them with massive incentives and ignores the existing customers who's been around for more than two recessions (I know as I have been trading at The Mayflower since Oct 1982) and we paid our business rates without fail or demands."

For those who like to drill into these things a little more - below is the full explanation give to Punchline ref the above figures...

"Data was taken before the trial began and compared against data collected during the first two weeks of the trial, broken down below.

"In this case, 'footfall' refers to the number of pedestrians passing between Boots and the end of the fountain plinth (imagine an invisible line drawn here) in both westerly and easterly directions. So, if a person was to walk over this invisible line towards the Brewery that would be one footfall "count" in a westbound direction; alternatively if a person was to walk over the invisible line towards Marks and Spencer that would be one footfall "count" in an eastbound direction.

"Therefore, after a whole hours recording we end up with multiple counts for both westbound and eastbound. The total of these westbound and eastbound counts is the number of pedestrian movements at Boots Corner for a given hour.

"For each recording week, 21 hours were recorded (3 hours per day, each hour covering the "peak periods" of 0800-0900, 1230-1330, 1700-1800).

"Therefore, a total number of pedestrian movements can be calculated for the recording week.

"The press release refers to two recording weeks - one before the trial began (''data compares to samples collected before the trial changes were implemented'') and one after the trial had started but before temporary public realm changes (''from data taken during the first two weeks of the trial'').

"The totals for these recording weeks can be compared to calculate percentage difference:

"Pedestrians: Week 1 (w.c. 11 June) : 14,657 total pedestrian movements

"Week 2 (w.c. 2 July - first full week of trial closure) : 27,008 total pedestrian movements = percentage increase of 84%

"Cyclists: Week 1 (w.c. 11 June) : 220 total cyclist movements

"Week 2 (w.c 2 July - first full week of trial closure) : 674 total cyclist movements = percentage increase of 206%."

Related Articles

Versarien's revenues halve and losses rise Image

Versarien's revenues halve and losses rise

Forest of Dean-based advanced engineering group Versarien saw its revenues halve last year.

Gloucestershire company launches same-day service Image

Gloucestershire company launches same-day service

Gloucester-based Freemans Event Partners has launched a brand-new around-the-clock foodservice logistics offer.

Gloucester business expands at Elmbridge Court Image

Gloucester business expands at Elmbridge Court

Just three offices are now available for rent at Elmbridge Court, following the latest letting.

Cirencester town centre to deliver improved parking Image

Cirencester town centre to deliver improved parking

Better parking and traffic control improvements for Cirencester residents and businesses.

Copyright 2024 Moose Partnership Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content is strictly forbidden without prior permission.