Leeds Council reveals social distancing and staggered return to work plans

Leeds City Council has announced plans to widen the pavements to allow for social distancing as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Leeds City Council has announced plans to widen the pavements to allow for social distancing as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.Leeds City Council has announced plans to widen the pavements to allow for social distancing as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Leeds City Council has announced plans to widen the pavements to allow for social distancing as part of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The plans are part of the city's response to the possibility of the government lifting lockdown restrictions.

Temporary pavement widening is to be carried out at locations around Leeds city centre.

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These include Mill Hill, Call Lane, New York Street, Upper Briggate, St Paul’s Street and Great George Street.

The scheme will be rolled out on Mill Hill this week.

Other roads will be implemented over the next few weeks.

Measures have also been put in place to maintain a four-metre wide pathway for people to safely pass along one side of the existing construction works on The Headrow.

A temporary new segregated cycle lane along the A65 will also be introduced.

Works to bring forward the introduction of the 20mph zone around the city centre have seen the first signs installed last week.

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Other measures to extend pathways across Leeds are still being drawn up.

These measures will be to help people enable social distancing around shops and schools.

Leeds Council said the plans will be shared with the local ward councillors for comment before wider circulation to the public.

The council has also been in discussion with major employers in the city about staggering the return to work and implementing working from home.

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Councillor Lisa Mulherin, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate change, transport and sustainable development, said: "When the lockdown starts to ease, it’s essential we can make it as safe as possible for people to get back out and about around the city and in their local neighbourhoods.

"Re-thinking road space to allow for wider footways will be essential for people accessing workplaces, schools and essential facilities, and these measures will play an important part in getting the city safely up and running again.

"We have been speaking to other major employers in the city about staggering returns to work and maintaining some element of working from home in order to facilitate social distancing and making the number of people returning to the city centre at one time manageable.

"We have identified some immediate temporary steps which where appropriate may become permanent.

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"As we ease out of the lockdown, prioritising walking and cycling, where possible can contribute to lowering our carbon footprint, maintaining improvements in air quality and improving the health of our residents."

Coun Mulherin added: "Over the last few weeks people have seen the benefits of a less car dominated society and we want to encourage this more.

"Enabling safe access to shops and business premises in the city and our local centres, is a key part of our city’s social and economic recovery.

“We are also keen to hear from the public and will soon be sharing ways in which residents can offer their suggestions, to look at other areas around schools, main roads and neighbourhoods.”

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An interactive “commonplace” portal is being established so the council can share details of planned measures with the public.

This will also enable residents to play their part in making suggestions to improve social distancing and active travel, on main roads, in their local neighbourhoods and around schools.