A CONSULTATION into whether Chippenham High Street should be closed for longer during the Friday market has been extended, with a proposal also being submitted to Wiltshire Council.

The town council is asking people and businesses to comment on the proposal to extend the hours for three months, which would run between January 13 and April 12, 2017.

At the moment the High Street is only closed from 9.30am until 7.30pm, but the proposal would see that period extended from 6.30am to allow the market to be put up in safer conditions.

“An application has been submitted to Wiltshire Council for a trial of three months as members requested at the last meeting,” said deputy chief executive Adrian Jones, during a meeting of the planning, environment and transport committee.

“As I did allude to, I told members we needed to consult again as the last letter didn’t specify a period of closure and the advice from Wiltshire Council was, we do need to extend it.

“We now wait and see in terms of what the response will be.”

The High Street would be closed to traffic from the gates at the top of the street and the junction of The Causeway to the bottom of the street by Wilko and WHSmith, but would be accessible for emergency vehicles.

People wishing to make an objection to Wiltshire

Council must do so by October 14.

Chairman of the committee, Coun Peter Hutton, said: “Whatever the decision will be, at least we have looked at the option.”

Speaking after the meeting, Coun Hutton said: “The town council has fully considered the comments received from residents and businesses when we consulted back in May on the principle of closing the High Street from 6.30am on a Friday.

“The council now wishes to formalise the closure by submitting a road closure application to Wiltshire Council for a three-month trial period starting in January.

“We are aware people use the High Street to cross from one side to the other on market day and we want them to do so in as safe a way as possible.

“The closure will therefore ensure the town market can operate in a traffic-free environment, as it indeed it does on a Saturday when the road closes from 6.30am.”