'Now's your chance': Shropshire highways boss urges people to engage in re-shaping towns
A highways boss has urged people to engage in the re-shaping of Shropshire's market towns, and insists "now's the time" if they have plans on their wish list.
Several new measures have been put in place to help people move around and shop safely in the county after coronavirus lockdown restrictions were eased, including road closures, one-way streets which give pedestrians use of the empty lane, as well as parking spaces being removed.
Non-essential shops began making their return last Monday and shoppers steadily made their way into the retail districts and started getting to grips with the new normal.
Councillor Steve Davenport, Shropshire Council's cabinet member for highways, has been working on getting towns ready to trade again, but said plans can be adapted and the implementation of new measures can work as an opportunity to try different things.
He said: "If it's been on your wish list, now's the time to try it. My view is we can try things, see if they work and make changes as we go along.
"We've put all these measures in place but we've got to be adaptable and mindful that things may change. If the rule changes from two metres to one metre it's going to change again.
"We've blocked whole streets. If that's what needs to be done and if that's what the businesses need to be able to trade safely, we'll do it."
In Shrewsbury, cars have been banned from parts of the town centre during the daytime to aid pedestrians with social distancing. New Street, which runs past The Boathouse pub, has been made one-way and businesses and residents in the Longden Coleham area have expressed desires to have the road changed to one-way to help cafes and shops trade more easily.
In Bishop's Castle, a section of Church Street adjacent to Co-op has been reassigned for pedestrian use, while in Bridgnorth measures have been introduced for extra width for people shopping and queuing outside.
Churchway in Church Stretton will be closed to traffic every Thursday for the market, and High Street has been made one-way.
Ellesmere has had parking bays in Cross Street closed, and King Street in Ludlow is closed between 10am and 3pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Parking spaces have been temporarily removed in Cheshire Street and High Street in Market Drayton, while Shropshire Council is monitoring Shropshire Street to see whether it ought to be closed.
Some parking is suspended in Much Wenlock's High Street, while Wilmore Street could be closed and King Street could be made one-way with a contraflow cycle lane.
Changes have also been made in Oswestry, where parking in Church Street has been reduced while Bailey Street/Bailey's Head and Cross Street are closed to traffic from 10am to 4pm.
Concerns with measures can be reported by phone on 0345 678 9006 or via the online reporting form on the Shropshire Council website.
