Volunteer marshals and new signage among Peterborough city council’s safety measures

Peterborough city centre will be welcoming back shoppers from Monday (June 15), with an emphasis on ‘shopping local’ following a relaxation of the Government’s Covid-19 lockdown, with more open-air cafés, pubs and restaurants to follow in the summer.

From Monday, non-essential shops will begin re-opening their doors to try and recoup lost profits over the past 12 weeks.

They are now completing the recommended Government Covid-19 risk assessment and putting the final touches to their stores, with one-way systems, closed changing rooms, counter screens and a raft of new measures to ensure the safety of both staff and customers.

It is expected that bars and restaurants will follow suit in July with plans to allow many to spill out onto the pavements and areas like Cathedral Square and the Guild Hall to maximise footfall while allowing social distancing to still take place.

Peterborough City Council has issued the following advice to shoppers with a new slogan that will appear on posters and the sides of buses: “Be Smart, Stay Apart, Thank You.”

The council’s advice includes:

* Social distancing measures will be in place - Social distancing of two metres will be promoted, with clear signage and volunteer marshals from the city’s Covid-19 co-ordination hub on hand to guide and instruct from a distance for the first seven working days.

* Shop Local - To limit your interaction with others we recommend that you shop at stores that are local to you. This will also help businesses which employ city residents and benefit our local economy to bounce back following Covid-19.

* Check opening times – Not all shops will be open and some are operating under new staggered opening times. Either call the shop or check online before traveling into the city centre to avoid disappointment and a wasted trip.

* Avoid peak times – All stores will have a maximum number of customers they can allow in their store and a limited space for queuing. You may be asked to return later if it is busy. To try and avoid this we ask residents to plan their journeys away from peak times of 11am to 2pm.

* Toilet facilities - Be aware there are reduced toilet facilities in the city centre at this time. The bus station toilets will be closed. The toilets in Queensgate on Level 1 will be fully operational including baby changing, ladies/gents and disabled with increased cleaning. The Car Haven toilets will be fully open from Mon-Fri (8am-5pm) and Sat/Sun (10am-4pm), including ladies/gents, disabled and a specially adapted changing places facility.

* Parking – Council owned car parks will continue to be free of charge until 13 July.

Practice good hand hygiene - Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds and use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available. Further information.

* Walk or cycle short distances - It’s easier and safer to walk or cycle short distances, rather than relying on public transport.

To help you do this, we’re introducing pop-up cycle lanes, wider pavements, more bicycle storage and are investigating non-touch traffic crossings in the city centre.

* If travelling by bus, check times before you leave and wear a face covering - Operators are still running a reduced service.

Check for the latest bus timetables on the Travelchoice website before you travel.

Also, from June 15, new Government legislation has made it compulsory to wear a face covering on public transport. Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of 3 or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly.

For example, primary age children unassisted, or those with respiratory conditions.

Do not attend if you or your household are suffering from Covid-19 symptoms - if you or anyone in your home have related symptoms or are suffering from Covid-19 you must not leave your home.

All this is being co-ordinated by the Peterborough Economic Recovery Programme (PERP), a partnership comprising of Peterborough City Council, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Peterborough Positive, Opportunity Peterborough and large outlets like Queensgate Shopping Centre. The PERP has also consulted with Disability Peterborough and the city’s Safer Off the Streets partnership.

Together, the PERP has reached out to help city businesses recover from the impact of Covid-19, giving support and guidance on how to get their businesses started again. In the future, it will look to help these businesses build back stronger and to support independents in moving towards an additional e-commerce model to future proof their business. The measures, which aim to protect both shoppers and businesses from Covid-19, have been made possible thanks to the Government’s Re-Opening High Streets Safely Fund, from which it will be possible for the city council to claim back £181,500.

Cllr Marco Cereste, cabinet member for waste, street scene and the environment at Peterborough City Council, said: “We understand that some of residents may be eager to get some much-needed retail therapy, while others will be a bit more cautious and about venturing out.

“That’s why we want to give people all the information they need to know before they plan their visit, including what to expect and what the city is doing to help keep them safe. In return, we’re asking shoppers to take notice of the social distancing signage, to be polite and courteous to each other and to our volunteer marshals, who are giving up their own time to help keep you safe.”