HAMPSHIRE County Council is set launch social distancing measures “very quickly” to keep shoppers safe in readiness for the general re-opening of shops on June 15.

There are fears that distance restrictions will see shoppers queueing along pavements, and that queues may intermingle or force pedestrians to step into the road to keep their distance, said county and East Hampshire District Councillor Rob Mocatta.

These measure are set to be put in place everywhere including Alton, Liphook and Petersfield, where pavements could be widened, and even traffic flows altered, or the centre pedestrianised.

In Petersfield, a complete closure of the town centre between 10am and 6pm is set to be trialled, and if successful the idea could be introduced elsewhere with a view to becoming permanent.

It’s likely the district council would drive the ideas forward locally, with Alton just one of towns in the north of the district likely to gain the works.

Cllr Mocatta also said the county council has received more than £4m to improve cycle and pedestrian access to town centres.

He added that the district and county councils agreed on the aim of reducing car journeys into the centre of towns and villages in future and now would be a good time to start the process.

Wider pavements, and less access to town centres for cars, although being introduced now because of coronavirus social distancing, could become permanent.

Hampshire County Council is due to launch an online consultation in the next week to gain the views of residents on how these proposals might affect their towns and villages if they were kept in place.

The consultation will also invite residents to add any, or object to, suggestions.