The minutes of the Re-set and Recovery Working Group on October 1 make it abundantly clear that the pedestrianisation of the High Street is set to go ahead.

Government is giving financial incentives to such schemes and Maldon District Council already has £57,000 set aside, with further funding due from Essex County Council and the Traffic Management Act.

Widening pavements will minimise Covid transmission and “increase consumer confidence” we are told.

The online consultation has been running since October 15 and will terminate on November 16.

Some businesses and schools have already been approached about their ideas.

All residents should fill in the questionnaire urgently.

The Maldon Society has already raised many issues relating to our creaking infrastructure, highlighting potential trouble-spots in graphic detail.

Over the last ten days we have again seen what happens when Market Hill is closed and traffic around the town becomes gridlocked.

A totally unworkable prospect if it were to be made permanent.

The plans certainly flag up a number of “challenges”, including access to All Saints Church.

This is a serious problem as funerals and weddings are a regular feature of our ministry, and, according to the maps produced so far, it would seem that future access to the Vicarage would only be via Gate Street and Silver Street, narrow roads which have to pass Maldon Court Primary School.

Clearly at some point a site meeting is going to be required.

The church may be an imposing presence in the town centre, but we are not a museum.

We need to be able to continue our Christian service to the community with as little inconvenience as possible.

Not all responses to the pedestrianisation plan need be negative, but without very clear evidence that most of the considerable challenges are likely to be met by realistic solutions, it is going to be a lengthy and a bumpy ride.

Another fright is that the town centre will simply become awash with barriers and traffic signs - scarcely something which will attract tourists, entice shoppers, or impress Maldonians.

Canon Dr Graham Blyth

All Saints Ministry Team

8 Rennie Walk, Heybridge