To help reopen the High Street after lockdown, Saxmundham Town council are introducing some new measures to slow down the traffic and help people keep a safe distance. busy road.
Chair of the Town Council, Cllr. Jeremy Smith said “Our aim is to help keep people safe in our High Street and help our local businesses as they re-open. The problem is our pavements and the street are too narrow so pedestrians have to use the road for social distancing. Yet the two-way traffic is often going dangerously fast. So with our friendly hedgehogs pointing the way, we're offering a safer one-way pavement route, and also urging drivers to Go Slow and be on the alert for people needing to step in the road to keep the safe distance."
The Council isn’t allowed to implement a pedestrianised area but they have asked the District and County Councils to reduce the speed limit and put some barriers in at pinch points. Whilst waiting for that to be put in place the Town Council has gone ahead with their own plans. There will be large and small signs asking drivers to slow down along the high street and a one-way pavement scheme is being advised. Pedestrians are encouraged to walk on the right-hand pavements so that if they have to step into the road, they can see the oncoming traffic.
To mark the routes, stencils of hedgehogs will put onto the pavement indicating the direction and there will be signs indicating the advice.
Cllr. John Fisher who is also the East Suffolk District Councillor stated that he was “strongly in favour of making the High Street safer for pedestrians and that this new signage from the Town Council was a good first step”.
“I think the hedgehogs are a brilliant idea. Not only does the snout of the hedgehog act as an ideal directional sign, they are also a bit of fun” said Vice Chair Cllr Di Eastman.