It is with great distress that I've created this petition having been informed by a local road officer about the plans to prevent direct access to union street for vehicles. I am, and have been, a business owner for the best part of 30 years at the Dolphin on Chapel Street and am disgusted at the lack of information that has been passed to us in advance of this plan being enacted. What happened to due process where the surrounding area has to be informed via signage at least 30 days prior to any changes to a street's operations being enacted? 

This could kill ours and many other local businesses.

Like many, we have suffered through COVID while trying to protect as many jobs as possible. This will erode the actions we've taken and may force us to let go of several workers. To take such drastic action by asserting such arbitrary and unilateral limitations that have such a drastic impact on businesses is unacceptable. Without any warning is absurd. To do so without consultation with owners or exploration of any alternatives is a disgrace. 

Not only will this detrimentally impact our business to passing trade this will kill our opportunity at delivery. This has become a major part of many delivery businesses during COVID. How are drivers meant to collect orders? Why should a misinformed decision by a local council dictate which businesses are able to survive? Local councils sacrificing jobs and killing any hope of a business's survival is a terrible state of affairs.

There is no justifiable reason to enact such measures. At a time when the economy is on the ropes when the government is trying to help people out of furlough and back to work, your actions risk any semblance of recovery occurring. Unquestionably there is a new normal. To willingly sacrifice small businesses due to some ill-conceived decision is beyond belief. 

To provide some perspective, the R0 while traveling outside is negligible. In supermarkets where the width of aisles is smaller than the width of our pavement or road, while in an enclosed space. Not only are we throwing the baby out with the bathwater, we're demolishing the home. 

Local businesses need help, not the destruction of our livelihoods.