EFFORTS to pedestrianise part of Taunton town centre will be delayed until “after the holiday season is over”.

Taunton Deane Borough Council has been consulting with residents over proposals to remove traffic from St James Street, Hammet Street and East Street, in a bid to make the town centre safer for pedestrians and cyclists and more attractive to visitors.

The council intended to begin implementing the changes in early-2019, but postponed after Somerset County Council raised safety concerns.

Now the new council, which will replace both Taunton Deane and West Somerset’s local authorities in April, has said further consultation will be held after the elections, and the policy won’t be implemented until the end of summer.

The issue was raised by Alan Debenham, a former Taunton Deane councillor, at a meeting of the Somerset West and Taunton full council in Taunton on Thursday evening.

He said: “From my reading [of] the local press, the current position remains confused and yet again delayed.

“It is still not including pedestrianising North Street and Corporation Street, which ought to be central planks in any scheme – plus [it is] now leaving the previously included East Street and Hammet Street in some kind of suspended limbo.

“What on earth is the latest position?”

Councillor Richard Parrish, portfolio holder for planning policy and transportation, confirmed that any changes would not be implemented until further consultation had taken place.

He said: “There has been a delay at this present time with regard to pedestrianisation. The reason for that is that there have been some objections, as well as strong support.

“It is now projected that we will be looking at this seriously again in May-time and later in the summer, after the tourist season has finished.”