NWN-18062020

NEWBURY NEWS THATCHAM NEWS

Thursday, June 18, 2020 25

Newbury Weekly News

Shop owners are relieved to be back in business THATCHAM businesses that reopened this week have said it’s good to be back after three months of closure. ‘we’re happy you are back open ’ – hopefully it will keep going.

“All we can do is take it day by day to get back to like it was before.” Also in the Kingsland Centre, House of Cards manager Jo O’Brian said she had been prepar- ing the shop and training staff. She said: “Lots of people are keen to see that we are back open. “Lots of our regular faces have been back in this morning.” Speaking through a face visor about PPE, she said: “It’s been important to get this right so that our staff and customers feel safe. It’s reassuring for our customers.” Owner of Kiddisworld Ltd trad- ing as Broadway Supplies, Caro- line Atkins, said she was surprised by the amount of custom. She said: “I was expecting it to be dead, but there seemed to be a good flow come through. “I think people are dying to get out.” Mrs Atkins said that people were glad the shop was open to get cards for birthdays, Father’ s Day and anniversaries.

The Newbury Weekly News popped into town on Monday and spoke with businesses who reopened, following Government guidance that all shops in England could start trading again. Retailers have had to introduce safety measures to enable social distancing, such as signage, limiting the number of people in a shop at one time and one-way systems. Current Government guidance is that pubs, bars and hair- dressers will not be able to open until at least July 4. The owner of Sweet Imagina- tion in the Kingsland Centre, Colette Myers, said it was nice to welcome customers again. Mrs Myers said: “We stayed open as long as we could until we were told that all non-essential shops had to close. “We have been a bit busier doing deliveries, I’ve been doing more trips to Reading.” She said that one person from Hungerford had called up after

House of Cards manager Jo O’Brianservesa customer

Ref: 25-2420B

again. “We have elderly customers who don’t use the internet and it ’s been nice to see them again.” But she added: “It’s still one of those uncertain times where we aren’t sure how it’s going to go and you’re not sure how many people you are going to get in. “The feedback we have had is

hours on Saturday asking if they could deliver that night. In the end, the customer drove from Hungerford to collect the sweets from the shop at 9.10pm. On being back in the shop, Mrs Myers said: “I have loyal customers who have kept with me. “It’s nice to see the regulars

ColetteMyersatSweetImaginatiointheKingslanCdentre

Ref: 25-2320C

Keep an eye out for Orcas in town Council set to install road safety measures in Thatcham

‘Pedestrianisation wo’nt work’ PEDESTRIANISING Thatcham Broadway and High Street to assist socialdistancing isnot a feasible option, town council- lors heard.

Northbrook Street and Market Place in Newbury have been temporarily pedestrianised to help achieve social distancing. One resident asked Thatcham Town Council whether a similar arrangement could be made for The Broadway and High Street. “I am aware that this would be difficult to do for a variety of reasons, but as I am sure you are aware, pavements in both of these locations are incredibly narrow and would make socially distanc- ing very difficult,” the letter says. “This maybe an issue for their ruling administration, but remov- ing traffic from The Broadway, would provide the town with a public space which over time could become a greener space. “Removing traffic could also be an important first step if the Liberal Democrats intend to pursue the redevelopment of the town centre. “The removal of traffic would also significantly benefit parents with pushchairs, as well as resi- dents with mobility and visual impairments.” But following a meeting with West Berkshire Council officers, town councillors concluded that the scheme “wouldn’t work in Thatcham” . Town council leader David Lister (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said: “We did propose a number of items including pedestrianisation of the High Street and a possible closure on market days. “Following positive discus-

ORCAS will be installed in Thatcham as part of a scheme to encourage cycling and promote social distancing. Councils have been urged to bring in changes to roads to encourage other modes of trans- port and to help with social distancing In Thatcham, West Berkshire Council has said it will be press- ing ahead with installing Orcas – rubber blocks used to separate cycle lanes from the rest of the road – to provide greater protec- tion to cyclists. The council had considered trialling Orcas on Benham Hill between Tull Way and Henwick Lane, but has now said it will roll them out through the town, from Tull Way to Gables Way. Cycle lanes will also be made mandatory, meaning that vehi- cles are not permitted to enter them. The council has said the Orcas will be temporary, but could be made permanent. Town councillors had cooled off on the idea earlier this year, saying that placing the Orcas on the short stretch of A4 could confuse people. It also raised safety concerns and wanted to wait for the outcome of a petition to lower the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph. But discussing the announce- ment at a meeting last week, Simon Pike (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said the scheme was “more ambitious” than first thought and would help promote Govern- ment guidance. Richard Crumly (Con, Thatcham Central) said: “They were not popular for all sorts of reasons. “The idea of them being run all the way through town is completely inappropriate. “If we were against them before we should be against them again.” Mr Pike said that the trial

Thatcham High Street

Central) said: “Northbrook Street is already set up to be a pedes - trian area. I don ’t think there’s anything we can do like that in Thatcham.” Her husband Richard Crumly (Con, Thatcham Central) felt that more information was required and that there had been little time to debate the measures. Deputy mayor John Boyd (Lib Dem, Thatcham Colthrop and Crookham) said: “ It was felt generally that these measures would be taken with the benefit of the local community. “Like everything that is tempo- rary, you may not like it, but it will be taken back again.” Mr Lister added:“We are still in the middle of a pandemic crisis. “They are looking at imple- menting measures that keep our residents safe. “Some decisions are happening more quickly than some members may like, but we are in extraordi- nary times.”

sions, this closure and pedestrian- isation would not be workable because of diferent access requirements for residents and shops and would also create too much complication of trying to close one lane on market day. “What we did agree is where the pavement is particularly narrow, the officers would look to cordon off parking bays to give more space. I think that’s a good compromise that we agreed on.” Mr Lister said these measures could include parking bays in High Street and in Crown Mead to provide more space for people queuing for the shops and phar- macy. A one-way system has also been implemented in Crown Mead. West Berkshire Council will also be replacing the staggered crossing at Crown Mead with a single crossing, as well as installing extra cycle parking facilities in The Broadway. Ellen Crumly (Con, Thatcham

Road safety measures including Or cas, above, will be implemented inamThatch

cil to promote a safe cycling scheme was suggested by Ellen Crumly (Con, Thatcham Central). She said that cycling could be dangerous as anyone could buy a bike without needing training, insurance or safety gear. Town council leader David Lister (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said he was in favour of the district council’s approach to promote cycling, but said coun- cillors had safety concerns. He said a key requirement for safe cycling was to lower the speed limit and that the 40mph limit at Henwick needed to be lowered to 30mph. “I don’t think it’s correct to have large HGVs passing within inches of the cycle lane,” he said. Councillors heard that the Orcas were scheduled to be installed on July 6 and take approximately two weeks to complete. The cycle racks should be installed by the end of June.

sectioin of road started in an unexpected position heading out of Thatcham for a short distance. He said the longer stretch would allow drivers to get used to the Orcas on a less problematic piece of road. Mr Crumly said: “What about the cost? If they are not success- ful or popular then they have got to be removed. “They want to do this at the end of lockdown – hopefully we are coming to the end of this and returning to normal and the roads will be full of traffic once more and this proposal will not be necessary.” Mr Pike replied: “They proba- bly fit in very well with the guid - ance. I think they are a lot more ambitious than we thought was feasible when we set the proposal at the last meeting. “It shouldn’t necessarily be about cost as they are imple - menting Government guid- ance.” A proposal for the town coun-

Traffic schemes to help boost cycling MEASURES tohelp with social distancing and encourage walking and cycling in Thatcham have been announced by West Berkshire Council. and offers protected space for cyclists. Vehicles are not permit- ted to enter the cycle lane. The measure will be temporary but could be made permanent.

n Cycle hoops will be installed in The Broadway to improve cycle facilities and social distancing. n A scheme to remove the stag- gered crossing island at Crown Mead and replace it with a single crossing has been put forward. Kerbs will also be realigned in both directions to provide a stepped cycle track to reallocate space from the road to pavement. The council said it planned to press ahead with the changes while traffic levels were lower.

n Orcas – black and white rubber blocks used to separate cycle lanes from the rest of the road – from Tull Way to Gables Way to protect cycle lanes. The council said the Orcas would be temporary, but could be made permanent subject to review. n On-street residential parking will be restricted on the south side Lower Way, at The Moors End. The council said this would free up space for cycling and walking.

The schemes need to be imple- mented within eight weeks to be eligible to receive the funding and include: n Mandatory cycle lanes, a conversion from advisory, will be introduced from Tull Way to Gables Way. The council’s reason was that the measure is fast track- ing an already planned scheme