The new road for Alton Towers traffic
Alton Towers: Since 1986 there have been proposals made by Alton Towers and by surrounding villages for new road routes which would direct traffic away from the villages, no decision has yet been reached, negotiations continue!
Hi, I am doing my dissertation currently on the new roads proposed by Alton Towers and the surrounding visitors. Obviously the roads leading up to Alton Towers are appalling, though one of the most important factors in the success of an attraction is ease of access to an attraction. Would love any views on how important access to an attraction is, or if anyone has any views on the current route traffic has to take and the new proposed route.
Hi, Its about time someone thought about this, yes the roads are terrible as you have to queue along all these country lanes all the time and i really feel for the people of Alton, I dont think we will ever see better roads but if we do, it should lead from the park itself south to the A50 near Uttoxeter or the JCB HQ, that would be perfect for traffic getting onto the M1 or M6 north or south.
Yes, thats a great idea, and one that i'm surprised hasn't been thought of before now!
would you mind if i used your suggestion in my dissertation as this has been my attempt at finding out the importance of access for the success of an attraction. Alton Towers wouldn't let me do the survey there...less than helpful!
They wouldnt thats crazy, i see quite alot of surveys by the entrance when i go. How much support have you got? I dont mind, i thought that would be the logical route for a road anyway, i live in the south and have to travel up the M1 and notice that alot of the trafic do the same route.
From Liz Heal
Posted March 22, 2005 at 1:36 PM
The problem is that it lies in a rural area, possibly green belt zoned. The ideal solution would be a super highway directly from the M6 but it would be very difficult to get planning permission. A long running court case was recently settled in favour of a house owner who's home was very close to the Nemisis attraction. His house was there before the theme park was opened and the noise and screams from customers were intorelable. He sued Alton Towers under the tort of nuisance and won an injunction. This meant that Alton Towers had to mitigate the nuisance. I'm not quite sure what they did but they probably had to build sound barriers. Which goes to show that even one person complaining can be enough to cause a large organisation to change their policies. Imagine the effect of thousands of people protesting. The only practical solution would be for Alton Towers to improve local junctions and bypasses where the local council would allow.
I agree that the roads at alton towers are a problem and have had much experience of the delays they cause Although planning permission may be a problem, it also has to be taken into account that a new road will be of benefit for the villagers currently affected. It seems that there will have to be some sort of give and take on the matter, ensuring that local resisdants are involved from the outset to help prevent problems later on. It might be an idea to go to parish council meetings of local residents to find their views.
Although proposals have been made by Alton Towers and by surrounding villages for new road routes it would be difficult to find the sufficient access in order for traffic to be directed away from the villages.
It will be difficult for a decision to be reached but if negotiations continue with both the local community and local authority then possibly a decision can be finalised! this will certainly benefit alton towers as an attraction creating less conflict between them and the local authorities!
It amazes me that a theme park of that size was allowed to be built with such poor access! I think that I would agree that access is an important part in the success of a site, but then it would seem that people are prepared to compromise if the benefits of the attraction are perceived greater than the inconvenient access. Alton Towers is a good example but also have you thought about sports grounds? Lord’s cricket ground in North London is incredibly inaccessible, 30,000 people turn up on a major match day and there is nowhere to park in about 15 miles and one very under capacity tube station within about 6 minutes walk! The other thing I might suggest is along the lines of what Michelle was saying; surely the locals should be pro a better link. I would suggest the theory behind this is stake holder mapping; where different groups of people will have different interests and influences on the topic. Having the locals sympathetic to the cause will be vital and can display a great deal of power and interest. I saw a lot of this at Lord’s where anything at all went through the residents committee. They have managed to get the pub to close as soon as matches finish stopping drinking outside the pub on the street. Don’t know if you’ve already covered this or it helps at all?
someone mentioned, they are surprised such an inaccesable attraction was allowed to be built. well the reason that alton towers is so inaccesable is because it was orriginally just a castle, home to the earl shrewsbury and several other people in its time, and therefore wasnt as reguarly visited, and obviously everyone travelled by horse and cart until cars were invented. and of course, alton towers being built around a valley it makes it hard to adjust the accesability, and any roads to be constructed would cost the park millions, millions which tussauds would rather spend creating more wonderous attractions to attract more visitors, and of course to keep there existing ones coming, creating more traffic problems, lol so it just becomes a vicious cycle. hopefully, sum boffin will come up with something.
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