As I explained this morning, Shropshire Council had made something of a mess of introducing road closures to promote social distancing in Ludlow. Today, the council issued a press release, which I copy below. This abandons any idea of closing High Street at any point. It also abandons the idea that King Street should be closed seven days 10am to 3pm. The closure would only be on Friday and Saturday. The press release says this is “following concerns raised by local councillors and the town council”. That’s spin worthy of Alastair Campbell. It is now clear that despite two town council meetings formally agreeing Friday and Saturday closure only, Shropshire Council decided that it would go for a seven day closure regardless. It was only under pressure over three days that Shropshire Council backed down.
Day: 17 June 2020
Covid Watch 59: Shropshire Council withdraws seven day closures for King Street and High Street in favour of agreed two day closures for King Street
The last seven days have not been Shropshire Council’s finest hours. Especially for its highway’s managers. Last Thursday or thereabouts, it issued an experimental traffic regulation order closing King Street and High Street every day of the week between 10am and 3pm. On Friday afternoon it issued a press release confirming the closure from Monday morning. Only yesterday afternoon, did highway’s managers admit that the experimental TRO was wrong. We had agreed closure on Fridays and Saturdays during the middle of the day. And only for King Street. Not for High Street. Not for Sunday to Thursday. The result of the confusion is that the agreed King Street road closure, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 3pm, will not be in place until next week.