City preparing for lifting of lockdown restrictions

Leeds City Council has started to implement new social distancing measures to support cycling and walking, to protect public health.

From Tuesday 26 May the local centres of Otley, Chapel Allerton, Armley and Morley, began to see social distancing signs and approximately 550 metres of barriers installed.

These measures will temporarily extend pathways to enable social distancing so people can safely access shops and centres or pass by those queuing to enter shops.

The first phase of social distancing measures were introduced earlier this month in Leeds city centre.

Temporary pavement widening has taken place at locations including: Mill Hill, Call Lane, New York Street, Upper Briggate, St Paul’s Street and Great George Street.

This is in addition to the permanent schemes underway on The Headrow and Park Row and the pedestrianisation of Greek Street and Cookridge Street.

Over the coming weeks, phase three will see social distancing measures rolled out to all the remaining local centres.

Councillor Lisa Mulherin, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate change, transport and sustainable development, said: “It is essential for us to support people to safely get out and about on foot in their town centres and neighbourhoods.

“Wider footways will make it possible for people to safely access workplaces if they cannot work from home or schools for those children who are returning to their school setting, for exercise and to make essential journeys to other facilities like food shops or pharmacies.

“As the Government continues to announce further plans to ease out of the lockdown, we’re prioritising action locally to promote walking and cycling.

“These measures will not only enable people to move around safely now, but will contribute to a sustained lowering of our carbon footprint, help to maintain improvements in air quality and improve the health of our residents for the longer term.”