New plans to close Truro city centre to traffic over the summer
It follows the success of a pedestrianisation scheme last year
Plans are being made to give back Truro City Centre’s streets to shoppers this summer after a pedestrianisation scheme proved a success.
Last summer when city centre shops reopened following the first lockdown it was decided to close the main streets to traffic to help assist with social distancing.
Truro City Council and Cornwall Council supported the scheme which saw the likes of Boscawen Street closed to vehicles from 11am to 3pm.
Now the city council wants to run the scheme again this summer, starting in April but this time operating from 10am to 4pm.
Deputy Mayor Jan Allen put forward the proposal at a meeting of the city council and said that it should be reviewed again in the Autumn.
This was agreed by the council but will be subject to a final decision by Cornwall Council which is responsible for street closures.
City councillor and Cornwall councillor Rob Nolan said that last year’s closure had been “an unexpected trial period that worked very well”.
He said that feedback from the public suggested that they thought it made Truro safer.
But some councillors were concerned that extending the time the streets are closed would limit opportunities for disabled people to access the city centre.
One of the reasons the previous scheme had closures from 11am to 3pm was to allow those who are disabled and need vehicular access into the city centre to have the opportunity to carry out any business in the city.
Carol Swain said that while she understood the need for the scheme she was very unhappy at moves to extend the times and said it would be “over my dead body”.
Cllr Stephen Webb, who uses a wheelchair, said that he was “pro-pedestrianisation” but said that there was a need for balance.
He said that Truro “is one of the most difficult towns to navigate, the pavement is uneven” and that “getting from car parks to the centre is not easy”.
Cllr Webb said he was unable to support the move to extend the time period and said that a solution was needed.
Cllr Swain put forward an amendment to have any road closures remain at 11am to 3pm but that was lost with seven in favour and 14 against.
The Deputy Mayor’s proposal for the roads to be closed with signs up from 10am to 4pm from April was agreed with 15 votes in favour and six against.