THE biggest shake-up of Ledbury town centre since the Middle Ages appears to be still on the cards, despite fears it would cripple trade.

But Herefordshire Council indicated this week it was "determined" to make the "improvements".

A fresh Herefordshire report is due out in November, after an early report was leaked in August 2018 and caused instant dismay.

Ideas outlined then included include making Bye Street one-way, from east to west, with a contra-flow for cycles; creating a paved square around the Market House, which would entail the loss of car-parking space and moving the bus stop; and using different colours of road surface "to differentiate carriageway and footway areas", although the square could also incorporate a raised table area.

Other ideas included paved raised crossings along the Homend and High Street; and the Homend bays could be marked out differently "to reduce the expanse of the carriageway" and to give "a visual narrowing of the carriageway".

Annette Crowe, former town mayor, who stood down as chairman of the Trader's Association last week, said trade was "bad enough in the High Street" without the county council "wanting to sabotage the High Street".

Mrs Crowe, herself a long-standing Homend trader, said she knew of businesses that were thinking about closing if the shake-up goes ahead.

She said: "It causes more trouble and will affect all traders. We need more parking spaces, not less.

"I am opposed, and so are the majority of traders."

But Herefordshire Council seems determined to make significant changes, not only in Ledbury town centre, but in other market towns.

Cllr John Harrington, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, said this week: “Studies have been carried out in Ledbury, Leominster, Bromyard and most recently Ross, looking at where improvements could be made to travel options and public spaces.

"This involved engagement with key stakeholders to better understand local issues alongside the review of local plans and site appraisals."

He added: "The outcomes of the Ledbury, Leominster and Bromyard studies are due to be published in the near future."

And he made it clear that changes are indeed still on the cards, although there will be a period of public consultation, for the electorate to have their say.

Cllr Harrington said: "The reports will make recommendations for improvements which the council is determined to make in each of the market towns, subject to further public consultation and the availability of funding."

But funding could still be a problem, although in Ledbury this could be from so-called planning gain windfalls from developers, due to Ledbury's planned new estates.

In August 2018, following the leak of the initial report, it was reported that the cost of re-ordering Ledbury town centre could be as high as £1.5m.

Herefordshire Council has not been working alone to create a "Public Realm and Transportation Appraisal Stakeholder Review", as the shake-up proposals are called.

Last year it was revealed that Ledbury Town Council had been working "in partnership" with Herefordshire Council and the county council contractor, Balfour Beatty, to come up with ideas, and objectives from Ledbury's Town Plan were also taken into consideration.

Concerning the state of play at present, a Herefordshire Council spokesman said this week: "There will be a report in November, when we’ll be able to clarify a lot."