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With my Exeter FM radio hat on, I was given the honour of officially starting the 2011 Santa Run on Sunday morning. What a fantastic event ! Not only did it raise lots of money for a great local charity, Dream-A-Way, but the surreal sight of 350 adults and children heading off down the High Street in Santa outfits will stay with me for a very long time.
Great credit to Pete Ferlie from Ironbridge Runner for masterminding this event. There were red suits and white beards wondering around the city centre for the rest of the day and, because of it, the festive spirit seemed to raise a level as thousands went about their christmas shopping.

The High street was cordoned off to buses for a while to allow the event to take place, and it got me thinking about how nice it would be if this could become a permanent arrangement. I’ve long been an advocate of pedestrianising the High street area from the Queen Street junction, and, while I appreciate that this is not a new idea, i think it’s time to seriously consider it again.

Clearly some major work would have to be put into developing suitable bus drop off points in Queen Street, but the benefits of the wider part of High Street being traffic free would be immense. Not only would we all have double the space to walk, but there would be far more opportunity for street entertainment and continental style outdoor eating and drinking.  It would link in perfectly with the great atmosphere that’s been created in Bedford Square and Princesshay.

I understand that because of the new John Lewis development, the City Council is considering extending the Paris Street one way system down to the junction with Longbrook Street. Why not go one stage further. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if this area could be pedestrianised too, along with the higher part of Sidwell Street.  What better way of giving the whole area a massive ‘shot in the arm’.

I’m not a big fan of Plymouth, but the central pedestrianised shopping centre does have a good feel to it.

I also hope the planners appreciate the extra traffic that will be heading into the city once John Lewis store opens. I’ve noticed that in the build up to Christmas, the main car parks are already struggling to cope. Last week cars waiting to use the Southernhay and Princesshay car parks were queued right back down Paris Street and were actually affecting flow at the roundabout by the Vue cinema. There is a real danger that without some joined up thinking, these ‘snarl ups’ will become common place even outside of the normal peak times.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m excited by the way Exeter City centre has developed, and will continue to do so in future years. However I think some brave decisions remain to be made if the final pieces are to be put in the jigsaw.