A FIVE-point plan could be brought in to help Royal Wootton Bassett bounce back from the coronavirus crisis.

Councillors held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss how to help the town recover.

The plan proposed by councillor Paul Heaphy and Steve Bucknell would focus on:

- Reinforcing the two-metre distancing in the High Street.

- Encouraging people to plan their shopping trip to avoid busy areas and times.

- Looking at blocking off every fourth parking space in the High Street.

- And removal of parking charges in Borough Fields car park.

- Relocating the taxi rank.

Mr Heaphy said: “We are considering whether we should do anything to help protect our community, we came up with a number of suggestions and a couple of councillors stepped forward to help with the process.

“I think that we just need to get the ball rolling on this.”

On blocking off parking spaces to allow passing points councillor David Bowler said he did not believe it was the right move to make.

He said: “I don’t want to jump into anything at this stage because we’ve got a fluid situation that is constantly changing.

“I go to the High Street quite often and there hasn’t been a single day where I saw an issue with social distancing. When the R rate goes up then we should look at solving the pinch-point issue. Shopkeepers certainly don’t want to lose parking spaces as it would affect the number of people visiting.”

There were some concerns raised about putting out hand sanitiser stations around the town.

Councillor Susan Hughes said: “I’m fully in agreement with a lot of the things that have been suggested but one thing I’m wrestling with is if we put a hand sanitiser somewhere people will migrate towards it and it’ll create its own pinch point.”

But councillor Caroline Redmond did not think it would be an issue.

She said: “At Great Western Hospital, as you go through the main doors there is one hand sanitiser machine and there’s quite a high capacity of people going in there. People have been stepping away to give people space, so I don’t think that will be a problem as long as there is signage.”

After a debate, the council set up a working party to come up with an official plan they can bring to the table.

The next council meeting will be on July 9 at 7pm. To get a link to join email enquiries@royalwoottonbassett.gov.uk