Another step has been taken towards removing the traffic calming and priority measures on Ashby Road in Coalville.

Leicestershire County Council plan to remove the current restrictions with North West Leicestershire District Council jointly funding the £250,000 cost of the project - and contributing a maximum amount of £175,000.

The two authorities will collaborate on the work as it ties in with the Coalville Regeneration Project.

And at last week's District Council Cabinet meeting it was agreed this would still be the case - with the County Council now likely to press ahead with the work when Coronavirus restrictions allow.

The chicanes were added when it seemed the appropriate thing to do but the stoppages have annoyed motorists.

Now the Council wants to make the road more accessible to encourage people to come into the town once the Coronavirus restrictions have been lifted.

And consultations showed that the public were happy with what was being proposed.

The project consists of six highway improvement sites at various locations along Ashby Road, from the junction of Ravenstone Road to its junction with Belvoir Road, Coalville.

The scheme consists of the following improvements:

• Removal of all three of the priority narrowings
• Removal of 13 of the sheltered parking/traffic calming build-outs
• Creation of 16 on-street parking spaces, whilst removing three
• Extending the existing advisory school 20mph zone
• Creation of two new uncontrolled crossing points
• Improvements to four of the existing uncontrolled crossing points
• Removal of unnecessary street furniture e.g. guard railing
• Replacement of existing illuminated bollards with reflective bollards
• Address existing road surface maintenance issues making vehicular accesses at the main entrance to the Snibston Country Park and ASDA/BP Petrol Station safer for all users.

The Council supported the highway improvement works and confirmed its agreement for Leicestershire County Council to deliver the scheme.

But Council is also responding to the COVID 19 Pandemic.

The Cabinet would normally meet as a group but the Leader of the Council officially delegated the decisions to the individual portfolio holders so they can make them without having to be in a full meeting.

The reason behind it is that the Council cannot stop making decisions and there has to be continuity despite the current crisis.

They do not want to abandon decisions such as the Ashby Road work when there no reason why it cannot be decided.

The Council says it wants to keep things going as normally as possible at the moment.

The Council is taking steps to ensure that it continues to provide critical services to the community and that the democratic decision making process can continue to operate.

Given the guidance from the Government on social distancing, avoiding gatherings and taking precautions for those groups at risk, the Leader has reviewed his existing executive governance arrangements and decided to put an alternative process in place.

The Council feels that this is an important message at a time when the country has ground to a halt.