Loading times to change in Melton Town Centre
Melton Borough Council has worked with partners at Melton Mowbray Town Estate and the Business Improvement District to ensure market traders are not impacted by the change to loading times in the town centre.
During the pandemic in 2020, a change to the existing traffic regulation orders were submitted to Leicestershire County Council by Melton Borough Council, to support the Town Centre by allowing loading and unloading, as well as vehicle movements from 3pm, this arrangement has now lapsed and has returned to a later time of 4pm
As part of a partnership approach, Melton Borough Council has funded and submitted an application for a 12-month temporary traffic regulation order to amend the loading restrictions in the town centre, temporarily reverting them to 3pm to enable works to be done to put a more permanent solution in place.
Currently, the existing permanent Traffic Regulation Order allows loading/unloading and vehicle movements only between 4pm and 10am in the Pedestrian Zone.
Through engagement with market traders and businesses in the town centre via the Melton Mowbray Town Estate and Business Improvement District, the council is committed to working with partners to develop a permanent solution. The Council will support a consultation aimed at changing the loading times from 4pm to a more desirable time in line with local business need, whilst balancing the need to keep the high street area safe for users and visitors alike.
This temporary order is expected to take effect on the 11th of March 2025, at which point the relevant signage will be updated. In the interim, Leicestershire County Council, who are the local Highways authority, have permitted an Emergency Temporary Traffic Regulation Order which allows loading and unloading to continue to operate from 3pm. This was enabled following representations made by the Business Improvement District and Melton Mowbray Town Estate ensuring that there is no immediate impact on traders and town centre businesses.
Councillor Sharon Butcher, who is portfolio holder for Town Centre, Growth and Prosperity said: “The Council is committed to working with partners to ensure the town is a welcoming and well-functioning environment for businesses and traders alike. A statutory consultation regarding any permanent changes to the permanent Traffic Regulation Order, which limits vehicle access and loading/unloading in the Pedestrian Zone to the hours for loading between 4pm and 10am will start in due course. We will engage with affected businesses, Melton Mowbray Town Estate, the Business Improvement District and Leicestershire County Council Highways authority to determine the desired times for the long term, while ensuring that the pedestrianised zone remains a safe environment.”
Graham Bett, Chair of Melton Mowbray Town Estate, added: “I am pleased that the changing needs of Market Traders and other businesses are being recognised. Shopping patterns are not the same today as before the Covid pandemic, and Melton needs to adapt if the Town Centre Market is to thrive.”
Lee Freer, Chair of Melton BID said “The feedback from businesses in the town centre pedestrian zone is that the 3pm restriction has been established for 5 years and should not be moved back to 4pm. The provision for making deliveries is already challenged by the lack of adequate loading bays and our footfall data shows no significant reduction between 3pm and 4pm. In addition, many of our businesses need to be accessed by their customers in a vehicle for loading, and restricting this to later in the day can affect trade.”