Non-essential retail shops now have the option to re-open from today – 15 June 2020.
County Council say they have been working closely with district and borough councils to enable businesses to open safely and for residents to feel safe while they shop.
People may have seen some measures appearing in recent weeks, including the coning off of sections of the carriageway to widen footways and closures of some roads.
Further actions are being taken from today. For example, the high streets in Skipton and Northallerton will be closed on market days to enable shoppers to enjoy the markets and reopened local shops while allowing room for shoppers to queue and pedestrians to pass safely.
Among other examples of steps to enable social distancing and encourage people to walk and cycle, people will see parking bay suspensions and narrower traffic lanes in several areas of Scarborough, Filey, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Selby, Tadcaster, Leyburn and other locations.
Richard Flinton, Chair of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum and Chief Executive of the County Council, said:
All partners in our North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum are committed to supporting the county’s recovery while making the reopening of more shops and businesses as safe as possible for customers and workers.
I’m sure that our retailers have been looking forward to 15 June and being able to open and that many residents are just as keen to take advantage of a wider range of shops.
We’ll all need to get used to navigating our new-look high streets. The measures we are putting in place have been carefully considered and are designed to give people the confidence to go shopping and buy local, which is something we can all do to play a part in our county’s recovery.
While these measures to aid social distancing and active travel are important, one of the biggest things we can do when visiting our high streets, and elsewhere, is to take personal responsibility to maintain social distancing and to consider others.
Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker of North Yorkshire Police, added:
As more and more restrictions are lifted and communities come back to life, personal responsibility is now key to controlling the virus. We urge everyone to look after themselves and their loved ones, remember that the virus has still not gone away, keep in mind the purpose of the existing restrictions and regulations and stay safe.
We thank the public of North Yorkshire for playing their part during this crisis and for their support through what has been a very fast-moving and challenging time for everyone. The sacrifices they have made has helped to protect thousands of people and we should be proud of this. We will continue to engage with members of the public, explain the remaining regulations and encourage them to follow them and will only use enforcement as a last resort.
Where parking bays being coned off to widen footways, this is done for public safety and these cones must not be moved. Enforcement by parking services will be taken against anyone moving barriers to use parking bays.
