Truro City Council, Truro Business improvement District (BID) & Visit Truro are working with Cornwall Council Highways Team & Cormac to help customers get back to the high street while observing the Government’s two metre social distancing guideline.
From Monday (June 15) parts of the city will be temporarily pedestrianised, these include Boscawen Street, 10am – 4pm, along with Pydar Street, High Cross, King Street, St Nicholas Street, River Street, Lower Lemon Street, Duke Street and part of Quay Street. The temporary pedestrianisation will help to support shoppers to be able to queue for shops appropriately. A downloadable map is available from the Visit Truro website.
The Truro partnership are continuing to work with Cornwall Council to consider additional options and measures for disabled parking. More information can be found at www.cornwall.gov.uk
The Taxi rank on Boscawen Street will remain operational with taxis able to enter and exit again via Princes Street.
Buses will continue to operate in Victoria Square and River Street will be open to buses only so that business in River Street will be able to help customers take care whilst using a queuing system.
Shoppers and workers to the city will be encouraged to ‘keep left’ on all streets which will help keep the movement flowing as well as helping to maintain social distancing.
Other city centre streets will remain open to vehicles.
Additional signage is also being introduced around the city centre to help guide and remind people of the social distancing rules. The Truro team are also introducing Truro street Marshalls who will be positioned at high foot fall areas as well as pinch points to help customers navigate their way around as well as help with queuing where necessary.
Mayor of Truro Bert Biscoe said: “Truth is, we’ve two emergencies, Covid, and the economy. It is difficult to design a system to combine distancing and accessibility. We have introduced these measures knowing they’ll need adjustments and changes. The team which has assembled them has worked quickly and far beyond the call of duty. We’re asking all our customers, clients, residents and workers to be careful, thoughtful and tolerant – keeping left as much as they can, queuing where necessary.
“We all very much wish everybody in Truro over the coming weeks an enjoyable and pleasant time which will encourage them to support Truro’s businesses, to return as much as possible, and to encourage others to come as well. Let’s all work carefully together to get those economic wheels turning again, and that ‘second spike’ at bay.”
Owner of Inhabit gift shop in Truro and chair of Truro BID Kristian Fleming added: “We welcome the temporary changes to support pedestrians to adhere to social distancing. The customer focussed measures should give reassurance for people to return to Truro’s shops and support our local businesses. We hope that with the safety measures in place from next week, customers will feel comfortable and relaxed, and will keep coming back.”
