A TOWN council is taking steps to make the town centre more pedestrian-friendly with the reintroduction of traffic calming measures.

Launceston residents will know that the town centre bollards have been inoperable over the last several months. Following an 18-month public consultation in 2022/23, a new traffic system was established to make three of the town’s streets safer for pedestrians.

The change means that daily, between the hours of 10am and 4pm, Westgate, High and Church Streets are traffic-free allowing shoppers to enjoy the streets, safe in the knowledge they won’t encounter traffic. In addition to the new signage, collapsable bollards were installed to support the change. However, following damage to some of the bollards, they have been out of action for the last year.

Launceston Town Plan Group and Launceston Town Council have successfully applied to Cornwall Council to fund the reinstallation of the bollards, and this work has now been completed. Both the town plan group and the town council, have thanked Cornwall Council for entirely funding the project through the Town Accelerator and Town Delivery Funds.

According to the council, the public consultation identified overwhelming support for the reintroduction of the bollards, particularly as there have previously been a series of incidents when drivers have ignored the signage, resulting in pedestrians being actually being hit by vehicles.

On a number of occasions, drivers ignoring signage has posed a problem, with a number of cars, vans and even HGVs making their way down the one-way street.

Commenting on the issue, a spokesperson from Launceston Town Council said: “Without the bollards, a small but significant minority of car drivers and delivery companies ignore the signage causing both distress and congestion. Serious breaches have included a 12-tonne lorry parked, outside the allowed delivery times, as well as facing in the wrong direction in a one-way street!”

However, the council is now hopeful that these issues will be quelled following its recent liaison with Devon and Cornwall Police. The force has now confirmed that the local policing team will be taking an active role in monitoring things the new system, to ensure pedestrian safety.

Following the news, the introduction of the bollards, the council has praised the outcome of the application.

A town council spokesperson commented: “This is really good news. I have received a number of reports of pedestrians being knocked down, and whilst the town council supports businesses in the town, the safety of residents must come first. The council supports the new measures because as well as making the streets safer, they provide flexible space for new events and business opportunities, whilst continuing to allow deliveries and collections 18 hours a day, seven days a week.”

With the reinstallation now complete, the bollards have now been in operation since May 19, providing time for drivers to get used to the new rules in time for summer, while also allowing residents and visitors alike the opportunity to safely enjoy Launceston’s shops.