Sidmouth residents and businesses are being invited to give their views on plans to permanently pedestrianise parts of the town centre.

Last summer, as part of Covid-19 safety measures, Old Fore Street, New Street, Market Place and Church Street became traffic-free between 11am and 5pm every day.

Now, a consultation's been launched on proposals to convert the area around the town square into a permanent pedestrian zone.

In a statement of reasons behind the scheme, Devon County Council says the proposal is to improve road safety by reducing the volume of traffic in streets which are narrow.

It adds: "The streets generate significant pedestrian flows. It will improve the character and amenity of the local area and make the town centre more attractive for pedestrians, particularly the older and younger road users. It will reduce traffic congestion and potentially improve air quality and the character of the environment."

Last autumn Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce asked town centre businesses including non-members for their views on the idea of making the road closures permanent. Read more

here.

The current proposals would see:

• The amendment of the current Old Fore Street pedestrian zone to be a prohibition of motor vehicles zone, to allow cyclists to use the road

• The amendment of the restrictions in New Street, Market Place and Church Street to prohibit motor vehicles at all times of the day

• The removal of the limited waiting bays in Church Street

• The conversion of the disabled bays in New Street into disabled bays with a three hour maximum stay

• The removal of the limited waiting bays in Market Place

• Bringing back into use the limited waiting bays in Fore Street near the junction with the Esplanade which were converted into a taxi rank

Emergency vehicles, goods vehicles loading/unloading, and access to the properties within the proposed pedestrianised zone would be retained under the scheme, as would the ability for taxis to access the taxi rank and a disabled person's vehicle wishing to access the disabled bays.

Anyone wishing to object or make any other comments can write to The County Solicitor, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter EX2 4QD, quoting reference IMR/B18181,or submit their views online. All responses to the consultation must arrive by July 2, 2021.

It is expected that the scheme will then go before the East Devon Highways and Traffic Orders Committee for approval before any final decision around its implementation is taken.