Changes to road layouts being 'considered' in Walsall to help social distancing

Council bosses in Walsall are "carefully considering" measures to make social distancing easier for pedestrians, including widening pavements.

However, Walsall Council leader Mike Bird suggested people should not expect sweeping changes to road layouts, saying any action would need to be prioritised.

Campaigners have said the coronavirus crisis has presented councils with an opportunity to make roads and pavements more cycle and pedestrian friendly. Emergency funding has been made available by the Government to help with this.

The majority of the public have followed social distancing measures but tight roads and pavements in parts of the Black Country and Staffordshire mean it is sometimes difficult to do.

Towns and cities will soon become buiser as more shops reopen, forcing officials to consider how they can ensure social distancing can be maintained safely.

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Councillor Bird, who has made no secret of his support for car drivers in response to growing calls for more green travel, also said it was unclear how much cash would be coming Walsall Council's way.

He said retailers would have to play their part in enforcing social distancing.

"Although funding has been announced, it will be channelled to councils via Transport for West Midlands and it is not yet known what the allocation will be for Walsall,” he said.

“We are carefully considering measures which may be implemented to encourage and guide social distancing on the public highway and in other open spaces.”

“Any action taken may need to be prioritised, owing to the physical layout of some roads and footways, particularly in retail areas which see high footfall.

“While the council has a role to play, so do the public and so do retailers; we all need to work together at this critical time.”