Nostalgia - Before Sleaford's one-way system traffic issues

Former Sleafordian, Graham Wright of Bedford, contacted us about our recent mention in Nostalgia of his 1969 plan to address traffic congestion problems. At that time traffic could travel both ways along Southgate.

By The Newsroom

Published 15th Apr 2018, 19:00 BST

Graham Wright's photo of Watergate in 1970 when it was one of the narrowest in Sleaford. EMN-180504-100421001

He says: “We were being told that the bypass was going to solve all of the town’s traffic problems. My plan was idealistic and probably too expensive to fulfil, however it got people thinking.”

Later the council chose to make both Southgate and Carre Street one-way, part of his scheme, making the town centre safer. He sent a photograph taken in 1970 of Watergate, which used to be the narrowest road in the town centre.

Mr Wright said: “There was an electrical shop, a cobbler’s, a wet fishmongers and a narrow alley access to the Royal British Legion. On the corner with the High Street was, I think the International Stores.”

Wallworks, a furniture shop opposite is now the site of Interflora.