LISKEARD Town Council is taking forward the idea of a 20mph zone in the town centre to promote safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

The suggestion of lowering the speed limit on Bay Tree Hill was one which gained the most support – just over half of respondents – in a survey of around 400 people.

Business groups including the Chamber of Commerce, the Traders Association, South East Cornwall Tourism Association and Liskeard Business Forum have also been invited to two meetings recently to discuss what measures can help shoppers and traders as businesses reopen under the new Covid-19 guidelines.

Pavement marking materials and hand santisier have been purchased by the Town Council and the cost will be claimed back via the Government’s Reopening High Streets Safely Fund.

Meanwhile, Liskeard in Bloom has offered customised posters to businesses, and CORMAC has installed signs warning of pedestrians in the road and encouraging social distancing.

‘None of the other ideas around traffic or parking had clear support but, as it’s especially important at the moment to be able to make quick trips into town, the Town Council will also be looking with Cornwall Council and CORMAC at whether it’s possible to create some extra temporary short-stay parking spaces on Bay Tree Hill,’ said a spokesperson for the Council.

‘We have also written to Cornwall Council to ask for a further three months of free car parking.’

With walking and cycling also well supported in the Liskeard Neighbourhood Plan, the Town Council says it will be looking at ways to make it easier to cycle into the town centre and park a bike. Concerns had been raised by people who complained that toilets in the town had not been open although the retail and hospitality restrictions had been lifted.

The Town Council said it had had trouble obtaining supplies of hand sanitiser: the Westbourne Car Park and Dean Street toilets are now open, it said, with the Sungirt loos set to re-open next week.

Shoppers that have come into Liskeard over the past few days have been greeted by colourful bunting in Fore Street thanks to the efforts of volunteer Lizzie Trinder and the Liskeard in Bloom (LIB) group.

LIB had originally intended the decorations for the anniversary of VE Day. But in the end Lizzie, who works at Painters craft shop, stitched the 450 metres of bunting while the shops were shut during lockdown.

With materials funded by the Town Council, Rick Holding of Liskeard in Bloom had the job of putting up the bunting. Mayor Rachel Brooks said: ‘This is a great example of the Town Council working with volunteers and people from local businesses to brighten up the town.

‘Along with the beautiful flowers from Liskeard in Bloom, this bunting really signals that we want people to come and safely enjoy our town centre.’