Cars never banned from market square, council finds

The county council will try to formulise the ban on traffic

For decades, it has been a busy city centre thoroughfare, used by thousands of shoppers and commuters on foot each day.

But it seems pedestrians could have saved themselves the effort and tried driving instead.

Hay Hill in Norwich was pedestrianised in the 1970s, but it has emerged a traffic ban was never legally formalised.

Norfolk County Council has a hearing scheduled at Norwich Magistrates' Court on 4 December to finally formalise the car ban.

The apparent loophole has been discovered upon completion of the £3.2m regeneration of Hay Hill, which included the installation of new seating and fountains.

The area was reopened last month, despite a previous completion date of April 2023.

Norwich City Council Labour leader Mike Stonard said a leak at the fountain, and a delay in shipping specialist stonework from Portugal, were among the reasons for the delay.

The Hay Hill project was delayed, partly because of a leak at the fountain, the city council leader said

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said while it was not illegal to drive around the square, motorists would not be able to reach the area without breaking other traffic regulations.

Anyone wishing to object to the court application on 4 December can challenge the proposals at the hearing.