A pedestrian-friendly area of Hockley is to be temporarily created on key dates over Christmas and the New Year so that businesses and visitors can safely make the most of the festivities.
A section of the popular destination of Broad Street will become pedestrian-only from 6pm–4am on Friday 16 December, Saturday 17 December, Friday 23 December and New Year’s Eve to provide a safe and exciting environment for visitors to the area.
It is the first time the council has made this move, with the aim of creating a safe and welcoming space in one of Nottingham’s more vibrant areas over the festive season, giving local businesses the opportunity to use the area creatively and the local community the opportunity to be actively involved in the management of their streets.
It involves the closure of the southern end of Broad Street, at its junction with Old Lenton Street and High Cross Street. This will restrict access to all vehicles except for resident parking and loading vehicles, restrict access to Broad Street, Stoney Street and Carlton Street, as well as reducing the levels of parking on Broad Street and Heathcote Street and restricting the levels of traffic using these streets in the evenings.
Councillor Nick McDonald, Portfolio Holder for Business, Growth and Transport, said: “The area around Broad Street and Carlton Street has grown in popularity thanks to the cafes, bars and restaurants in the area.
“Christmas should see even more people come to celebrate in the city and we have decided to create this space for visitors to enjoy the festivities safely in an open and vibrant environment, allowing them to visit some of the local outlets, many of them small, local or independent businesses offering something different.”