Temporary barriers and street markings to help keep shoppers safe

With many shops and businesses now able to reopen across Bridgend county borough, residents can expect to see a range of temporary changes designed to help keep them safe and reduce potential exposure to coronavirus.

Bridgend County Borough Council will be introducing barriers and street markings at several locations to help ensure people can maintain social distancing.

The first area where the measures will be installed is Talbot Street in Maesteg where narrow sections of pavement will be expanded to provide more room for pedestrians, allow for social distancing and help to keep shoppers safe.

Bridgend County Borough Council’s cabinet member for communities, Councillor Richard Young, said the measure was being trialled in the interests of public safety.

The pavement in that particular part of town is very narrow, and pedestrians going into the businesses there would otherwise struggle to find room to pass each other under the required social distancing guidelines.

In order to provide the extra necessary space for pedestrians in this part of town, barriers will be placed through the adjacent on-street parking bays to enable the width of the footway to be extended. Other parking will continue to be available while these temporary measures are in place, and space will be maintained to enable the loading and unloading of deliveries.

We will monitor the scheme carefully and, if successful, will look to introduce similar measures in areas such as Nolton Street, Bridgend, and Lias Road in Porthcawl. We may also introduce additional measures as further pandemic developments emerge or in line with whatever new national guidelines we may see in coming weeks and months.

Bridgend County Borough Council’s cabinet member for communities, Councillor Richard Young

On Friday, Welsh Government announced that all non-essential shops and businesses would be able to reopen from Monday June 22, as long as they undertake all reasonable measures to comply with social distancing, and continue to protect staff and customers from potential exposure to the coronavirus.

The council has provided free online training covering issues such as how to change shop layouts to keep customers safe, and has provided free ‘sneeze-guards’, certificates and window stickers along with more than £28m in business support grants.

Council-maintained town centre car parks will also be free to use between now and the end of July to support shops and businesses as they reopen.

Frequently asked questions have been published at the council website, and this will be regularly refreshed to provide businesses and the public with an up-to-date resource of information.