Great barrier relief
SOCIAL distancing measures that have been widening pavements in the town centre since the easing of the first coronavirus lockdown could be removed in the coming weeks.
Derbyshire County Council is currently reviewing its collection of measures, which were introduce to accommodate social distancing as the high street began to reopen last summer.
Ashbourne became one of the first towns in the country to see new measures installed in shopping streets, and they were introduced in tandem with a new one-way system in Compton and Dig Street, along with increased parking for Compton.
The authority has not said anything about the one-way schemes and extra parking spaces in Compton, but bosses have said they are discussing whether the barriers should now be removed, as the government relaxes its social-distancing rules.
A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “We are looking at all the town centres where we placed barriers at the start of the pandemic.
“We’re talking to relevant stakeholders for each place to seek their views before making any decisions.
“For Ashbourne we’ve sought the views of the town council and will be taking them on board as we decide what we do with the barriers in the town.”
Ashbourne Town Council discussed the review at its last meeting and members wrote to the county council giving the removal of the barriers their blessing.
The councillors have also told the county coun- cil they would like to see the road markings removed.
In a letter to the county council, the clerk Carole Dean wrote: “Regarding the temporary Covid barriers, members fully support the removal of the barriers and I am sure that you will have this in hand but they have asked that the white lines and other markings on the road be removed so as not to confuse pedestrians. They have also asked if it would be possible for the street to be swept as a lot of gravel and dirt has collected in the areas around the barriers.
“I would be pleased if you could confirm that the road markings will be removed as members feel that this is a public safety issue.”
The bollards have been a source of controversy since they were put in place temporarily, and Ashbourne Town Council has regularly called for them to be replaced with better structures.
At the time of its installation county council bosses said the water-filled bollards would start as a temporary measure, with the entire system under constant review, and that the bollards might eventually replaced with more attractive planters.
Councillors said they quickly became an “accident waiting to happen” as pedestrians were emerging from various points along the widened pavements to cross the road and bollards were light enough to be removed and even tossed into the River Henmore.
Derbyshire County Council has not yet decided when the bollards would be removed in Ashbourne, if the decision is taken to remove them, but the temporary traffic order, which also includes the one-way system in Compton and Dig Street, would allow them to remain in place until January 16, 2022.
For Ashbourne we’ve sought the views of the town council and will be taking them on board County council