At the Burgh and Tuttington Parish Council meeting this week, a decision was finally made on how to proceed with the village gateways matter which has been under discussion for some months.
Burgh have supported the erection of gateways at two of their village entrances, but feelings in Tuttington have been mixed. Tuttington residents are once again being asked to let their parish councillors know their views on village gates ahead of a final vote which will take place at the next Parish Council meeting on January 8th 2020.
Gateways were first suggested by Burgh Councillors as a means of moderating traffic speeds through their village. Their application for Parish Partnership funding from Norfolk County Council Highways for gateways for both Burgh and Tuttington was subsequently successful.
But views have been less clear in Tuttington with different arguments being expressed by parish councillors. Everyone agrees that moderating speeding traffic through our communities is important but evidence for the effectiveness of village gateways in that regard is very limited. Some people think gateways define a village boundary and act as an advert for the village. Others have said they feel that pairs of gates are an expensive way to remind us where we live and make our rural village look more suburban.
These views give a flavour of the discussions at recent parish council meetings. Burgh councillors have already decided what they want in their village. Tuttington councillors have narrowed the choice down to two options for which they are asking residents to add their views.
The gateways are planned for three of the main entrances to Tuttington, on Alysham, Banningham and Norwich Roads, respectively, just outside of the 30 mph limit signs.
Option 1 is for two gates at each location, one with a “Tuttington” nameplate. Option 2 is for a single gate at each location, with a nameplate. Gateways must be made of plastic (wood is considered a traffic hazard) and they come in white, light oak and dark oak effect.
A mock-up of the two options is shown in light oak effect at the Aylsham Road entrance.
Option 1
Option 2
If you wish to express your opinion, you can contact the Tuttington Hub by following this link, or contact a parish councillor directly by following this link.
You can also voice your views by coming along at 7:30 to the next parish council meeting in the Reading Room at Burgh on Wednesday 8th January 2020, where the final discussion and vote will take place.
Traffic control in the parish remains a matter of concern and the Parish Council are looking into further ways to moderate speeding cars and minimise the impact of heavy vehicles on village life. Future discussions will focus on possible speed control measures using vehicle activated speed signs, which also record valuable traffic stats, community speed watch, and engagement with local businesses using heavy vehicles.