A temporary scheme making Croydon High Street a pedestrian zone is set to be made permanent from April onwards.

Cars will be permanently banned from using the street, after the proposal was supported by the council's traffic management advisory committee on Tuesday.

A temporary experimental traffic order restricting vehicles from driving along the road between the junction with Park and Katherine street made a year ago would have ended in April.

The site has already hosted Street Live, a free programme of music, dance and theatre performances, as well as a play street and screenings of Wimbledon.

Councillor Stuart King, cabinet lead for environment and transport, said: “There has been a fantastic array of performances and events entertaining scores of residents, shoppers and visitors over the past year.

“It has been a pleasure to see this public space grow and evolve and I’m looking forward to seeing the future events it will host.”

As part of the pedestrianisation, bus routes were altered to go through Katherine Street and St George’s Walk. The taxi rank was moved to Park Street.

The permanent closure of High Street will begin in April. This will allow the road to temporarily reopen for traffic rerouted by the closure of St George’s Walk for the R&F Queen’s Square development.

Signs with details of the reopening will be displayed on High Street nearer the time.

Your Local Guardian last week revealed that more than 17,000 fines were issued to drivers on another pedestrianised street less than a minute away from the high street.

According to a Freedom of Information request, between February 1 and December 31, 17,640 penalty charge notices were issued to drivers caught on camera entering Surrey Street.

Given each fine is £65, this would have generated at least £1,146,600 in revenue for Croydon council.

Some residents have claimed it is being used as a "money trap" by the council.

The council have stressed that signage indicating the road restrictions is properly displayed, giving motorists clear warning that they are entering a pedestrianised area.