Moray high street goers react to Elgin town centre traffic system changes
High Street goers have been giving their reaction to the traffic system in a town centre returning to normal for the first time in six years.
On Monday vehicles in Elgin town centre were once again being directed down North Street, while Batchen Street and the Plainstones were reverted back to being pedestrianised.
That said, more than a few motorists yesterday were either ignoring or failing to notice the no-entry signs now in place at the bottom of Batchen Street.
Frank Bowman was born and bred in Elgin but nowadays lives in Ayrshire.
Back visiting for a holiday, he said: “I come up here a couple of times a year and it’s been so sad to see the town centre the way it’s been.
“Having things return to how they were should be a big boost to everyone in Elgin.”
North Street has been shut for the last six years while work has been underway to make the Poundland site safe.
Carefully revamped at great expense, the B-listed building is now scheduled to open by the end of next month.
Allan Wright lives in Duffus and stepped down as the leader of Moray Council a decade ago.
Passing by while doing some shopping yesterday, he said: “It’s certainly taken a long time, but it’s looking well now.
“I expect folk will be glad to see Poundland opening again.”
Linda Geddes from Elgin has worked at the soon-to-close Northern Fish Restaurant for the past 35 years.
She said: “It’s so much better now that the traffic is back to normal again, although it’s been a long time coming. The good thing is that the building is looking very nice.”
Richard Cumming runs Sirology, one of the businesses on Batchen Street up which traffic has been diverted these past six years.
He said: “It’s going to take some drivers a bit of time to get used to Batchen Street being pedestrianised again.
“But the drop in the number of vehicles means we’ve already seen more custom on the street these past couple of days.
“It’s not so dangerous so people are taking their time more and having a proper mosey in the shop windows.”
