Footpaths on Northampton's St Giles Street will be temporarily widened for social distancing

Work crews will be closing off parking bays on a Northampton town centre street today to give pedestrians space to walk with social distancing.

The north side of St Gile's Street between the Guildhall and Hazelwood Road will be made temporarily wider using barriers as of today (August 10) so people can walk where cars are normally parked.

The project comes as part of a Government grant to make travel for pedestrians easier with social distancing in place during Covid-19.

An announcement by the county council reads: "We are making important temporary changes to help protect people who live, work and visit Northampton from the spread of Covid-19 and encourage them back to local shops.

"Ramps will be provided to help people cross the kerbs and barriers will be installed.

"The works will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure their effectiveness and changes made if considered necessary."

Parking bays on the south side of the street will be unaffected.

The footpath widening measures will cost £5,700 out of a £51,000 grant from the Government's Emergency Active Travel Fund that was allocated in June.

It comes after the council revealed it had so far spent a total of £173,000 of the cash so far after two months. £22,700 of that has been on footpath widening using traffic barriers, including two in Kettering and two in Wellingborough.

A similar scheme in Montagu Street in Kettering was criticised by local businesses in June when it was rolled out and was called "half-a-job" by shopowners.