PAVEMENTS WIDENED AND BARRIERS INSTALLED TO PREVENT ANY ILLEGAL USE OF LAY-BYS PLUS LONG STREET CLOSED OVERNIGHT

AND TOWN COUNCILLORS END UP BEING DELIVERY BOYS AND GIRLS TO GET TIME-SENSITIVE MESSAGE OUT TO BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS

TOWN councillors turned into Postman Pats in an eleventh-hour dash to distribute a crucial message that an on-street parking ban is being introduced on Atherstone's main shopping thoroughfare from next week.

County highways' bosses left it to local members to devise and deliver an explanatory leaflet to 125 business on the intended radical action which begins with a 12-hour closure of Long Street from midnight on Sunday.

Pavements on the main road are to be widened and barriers installed to prevent any illegal use of the lay-bys in measures designed to reassure a nervous public emerging from months of lockdown and needing "assistance with safe shopping guidance".

It is expected that the transformation to the town's traditional street vista will only be for a "limited period of time".

But the changes to parking arrangements in the Covid Recovery Plan – primarily aimed at supporting the reopening of local businesses and encouraging people to use the town centre – could have been even more far-reaching.

Borough council leader David Wright told Atherstone Town Council this week that in talks with highways bosses the original proposal from the Warwickshire authority was to close Long Street "at both ends".

And he told Nub News: "We are trying to deal with a delicate balancing act here – to keep the public safe and ensure best possible recovery for businesses.

"Traders made it clear to me that if any part of Long Street was to be closed – it would kill business

"We must appreciate this isn't Oxford Street – it's a lovely, small market town full of independent traders.

"We don't need a big sledge hammer to crack a nut."

But giving Atherstone notice of the proposals to block off parking took town councillors on a circuitous route from midweek onwards – and left the county council hastily sending out a press release on Friday afternoon to announce their for Sunday night and beyond.

In between those times town councillors found themselves having to improvise on an information plan for the public with newly co-opted councillor Gary Chamberlain devising a Covid-19 Parking Bay Closure Plan leaflet and other members volunteering to hand them out to local businesses, residents and car users in Long Street.

At this week's town council meeting, Councillor Chamberlain – who represented the authority at talks with the county council – said Atherstone had been left to distribute and meet the costs of the time-sensitive leaflet, which he volunteered to produce and "fund" himself.

"I think it's bit rich of the county council to get us to distribute it and ask us to pay for it," he said.

"But the cost isn't an issue but the message is the issue. And as a town council we should be backing the businesses."

Councillor Ray Jarvis said that Warwickshire County Council was "leading it but doing nothing about it, adding: "We as a town council don't know anything about it. To throw it back to us is very naughty.

"Until they get their act together there is nothing we can do about it."

The town authority expressed concerns that stories would circulate saying Long Street was going to be pedestrianised while Councillor Mejar Singh – who runs town centre bakers W C Masters & Son – said: "Shopkeepers do need to know what is happening.

Councillor Jacky Chambers asserted that it was the borough and county councils "driving this forward" and she felt the town council should "back off and distance ourselves" from the scheme.

She added: "We just need to be careful we are not seen as responsible for these closures", bringing an interjection from Councillor Wright explaining the town council had been "in it from the start" – in discussions with the borough and county councils on the best way forward for helping businesses and shoppers emerge from lockdown.

Councillors Chambers and Singh joined town mayor Denise Clews in offering to walk the streets to deliver the leaflet's vital message.

In a statement from the county authority, Councillor Jeff Clarke, Warwickshire's portfolio holder for transport and planning, said: "We have been working with our partners to bring forward these plans to create an improved environment and support social distancing in the centre of Atherstone as part of our response to the public health crises created by Covid-19 and to help businesses welcome customers back to their premises.

"I hope these measures will give the public confidence that they can safely return to use and enjoy the town centre and give our businesses and communities a much-needed boost.".

The statement added that the measures would be kept under close review to ensure they "remain suitable and appropriate to local needs and conditions".

Changes may be made in response to feedback, operational issues or updated Government guidance, it went on. In addition to the parking bay closures, a loading, bay is being made available behind the short stay car park by the bus station in Station Street and access to Long Street is via the Arcade for businesses needing deliveries. Long Street will be closed from midnight tomorrow – Sunday July 19 – until Monday lunchtime at noon. In addition, Long Street will be the focal point for a 'Big Brother' data collection scheme by the county council to gather information which will inform decision-making on its town centre roadspace schemes across Warwickshire. The devices can count pedestrians and cyclists, assess road user movements and provide social distancing analysis in the key shopping areas – although they cannot collect or record personal data, nor utilise facial recognition technology. Cllr Clarke added: "We are committed to supporting our town centre businesses at this very difficult time and will be as flexible as we can in supporting their requests. "But the public's health has to be the priority and guide whatever action we take. If there are areas where social distancing is not possible, we need to know where that is and consider how we should respond. This data will guide that response. "It's important to have a clear and full picture of how people are returning to town centres and using the road network. Monitoring the use of town centre roadspace will help us to work with all local partners and give us the evidence base that we need to make the best possible decisions."