Sidmouth temporary traffic ban could become permanent

It was introduced as covid measure

Plans to permanently pedestrianise parts of Sidmouth town centre have been put forward to reduce congestion.

Last summer, as part of Covid-19 safety measures, Old Fore Street, New Street, Market Place & Church Street became traffic free between 11am and 5pm every day. But now, proposals to convert the area around the town square into a permanent pedestrian zone are out for consultation.

Devon County Council says it will improve road safety by reducing the volume of traffic in the narrow streets. It says: “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.”

The proposals would see:

• The amendment of the current Old Fore Street pedestrian zone to be a prohibition of motor vehicles zone, in order to allow cyclists to use the road
• To amend the restrictions in New Street, Market Place & Church Street to prohibit motor vehicles at all times of the day
• The removal of the limited waiting bays in Church Street
• To convert the disabled bays in New Street into disabled bays with a three hour maximum stay
• To removal the limited waiting bays in Market Place
• To bring back into use the limited waiting bays in Fore Street near the junction with the Esplanade which was converted into a taxi rank

Emergency vehicles, goods vehicles, and access to properties in the zone would be retained, as would vehicle access to the taxi rank and disabled bays.

Anyone wishing to comment about the proposal should write to https://devon.cc/tro to arrive by 2 July.

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