Have your say on Beverley Saturday Market pedestrian area

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is inviting residents and businesses to have their say on the trial pedestrian area in Beverley's Saturday Market.

In May 2021, the council transformed a section of Saturday Market into a pedestrian zone to promote walking and cycling, while supporting local businesses by providing space for outdoor seating and encouraging people to spend more time in the town centre.

The trial is due to end in May next year, and the council wants feedback from the community before a decision is made on whether to make the pedestrian area permanent, and whether any adjustments are needed.

Councillor Anne Handley, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “The council created this pedestrian area with two main goals: to encourage sustainable travel and to support local businesses, in line with our key priorities of valuing the environment and growing the economy.

“We believe it has been a success and has brought many benefits to Beverley, but we want to know what the public and businesses think. This feedback will play an important part in helping us decide on the next steps.”

The pedestrian zone is designed to encourage more sustainable trips into Beverley town centre by:

• providing more space for people;
• supporting journeys on foot and by cycle;
• reducing pollution, noise and visual intrusion;
• increasing access and secure storage for bicycles;
• improving links between existing pedestrian zones and shopping areas in the centre including Toll Gavel, Dyer Lane, Swaby’s Yard and Ladygate.

The scheme also supports the economy and local businesses by:

• providing space for outdoor seating;
• creating a safe and attractive environment for people to enjoy;
• increasing the time people spend in the town centre;
• retaining disabled bays, loading bays and taxi bays.

In response to initial feedback from the public and local businesses, the council made some improvements to the area in November last year.

The changes included the addition of high-quality public seating and planters, four new blue badge-holder spaces, a full circulation lane around the car park to improve safety, and relocation of the loading bay to improve access.

The trial was then extended until May 2024.

People have until Monday November 27 to give feedback via an online survey. Anyone who does not have access to the internet can call (01482) 393939 to make a telephone or face-to-face appointment at their local Customer Service Centre.

The trials have been funded by the Government’s Active Travel Fund and Re-opening High Streets Safely Fund, and by the council’s Local Transport Plan. The benches and planters added last year were funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Visit https://consultation.eastriding.gov.uk/s/SaturdayMarketBeverleyPedestrianAreaTrial/ to complete the survey.