There will still be free parking on the High Street, most will remain as is, but some spaces will go as part of this scheme whereby pavements are widened to allow businesses more space outside.
At last night’s (Monday 10 August) Extraordinary virtual ‘Zoom’ meeting of the full Town Council Mayor Mark Cooper laid out details of the final plan.
Following the vote taken at the last Planning Committee meeting on 27 July, pavement widening will be implemented outside a number of premises. On the North side of the street they are: Bunces – 100 High St; The Royal Oak – 111 High St. On the South premises involved are: The Food Gallery – 47-48 High St; Polly Tearooms – 26-27 High St; and Cafe Nero – 22 High St.
This plan was finalised at a meeting on Wednesday of last week (5 August) of the Wiltshire Council Steering Group for this scheme involving Wiltshire Council Highways representatives who will be responsible for putting this in place.
There was concern about the danger of ‘rolling cars’, the regular incidences of cars parked in the central area rolling down across the carriageway into either cars parked on the Southern edge or into the front of buildings. This happens alarmingly often. Wiltshire Council Highways Officers agreed to take this into account so that ‘stronger more substantial barriers’ will be put in place where this is a danger.
The safety situation in the area around the Marlborough Bike Company shop in lower Kingsbury St will also be addressed to see if this can be funded from this scheme.
When will all this happen? “Quickly” was Mayor Mark Cooper’s estimate.
