Businesses question thinking behind closing parking bays to widen pavement on Northampton town centre street

Parking bays on a Northampton town centre street will be restricted from today onwards as part of a social distancing scheme by the county council.

The local authority has used £5,700 of the Emergency Active Travel Fund from the Government to close all the bays along the north side of St Giles Street.

The plan is for pedestrians to walk use parking bays as extra space on the footpath for social distancing, effectively making the pavement in those spots three metres wide.

There will also reportedly be temporary barriers in place to prevent cars parking. At the end of yesterday (August 11), the only measures in place were signs to say parking was restricted.

However, not all businesses along St Giles Street have welcomed the changes. Stephen Partington of Dychurch Lifestyle told the Chronicle & Echo: "If they want to spend the money then spend it put it's just not needed if you ask me.

"The paths on this street are wide enough. It's not like Milan where you've barely got any space.

"I could maybe see it if it also meant restaurants could put seating outside so customers had more space to walk around, but I would say just knocking a load of bays off is a detriment to the street and its businesses"

Other businesses were concerned that the bays are all they have for loading and when they take deliveries.

Another business owner, who asked not to be named, said: "I can maybe see why it would be a good thing. It can be bad, surely. But I also think if they were going to do this they should have done it sooner."