A car-free Sidmouth?

Town centre pedestrianisation plans

Key roads in the centre of Sidmouth could be pedestrianised. The town council wants Old Fore Street, New Street, Market Place & Church Street to be traffic-free between 11am and 5pm every day.

It is one of a number of measures to improve safety when non-essential retail shops re-open next Monday.

Some parking spaces on streets will be removed, while the Esplanade east of the Ham Lane junction will be closed to motorised vehicles, except for delivery vehicles and coaches for turning.

Covid-19 advisory two-metre-distance stencilled signage all around the town centre, the Esplanade, Three Cornered Plot Bus Interchange and Near Radway Cinema, were put in place on Monday night by Sidmouth County Councillor and Cabinet member for Highway Management Stuart Hughes, and Sidmouth Town Council contractor Ben Cruickshank.

It is part of the raft of measures the Town Council along with the County Council are putting in place and Cllr Hughes said: “It’s important that we do everything we can to help kick start the local economy and to welcome visitors back to our unique town with many independent shops.”

Further measures Sidmouth Town Council are seeking to carry out, which have the support of the Chamber of Commerce and hoteliers include:

* pedestrianisation of Old Fore Street, New Street, Market Place & Church Street between 11am and 5pm
*taking out parking in lower section of Fore Street to provide more space for pedestrians.
*taking out the parking to the west of the Esplanade between Dukes & Bedford Hotel frontage to provide more space for pedestrians
*providing two temporary dedicated loading bays/unloading bays (as at present delivery vehicles double park on Esplanade)
*the closure of the Esplanade east of the Ham Lane junction along with turning circle to all motorised vehicles, except for delivery vehicles & coaches for turning.