£200,000 approved for pedestrianisation of Wisbech Market Place

£200,000 of funding has been approved for Wisbech Town Council to pedestrianise the town’s Market Place, which the Combined Authority say will “improve growth and regeneration”.

The money includes £150,000 from Cambridgeshire County Council’s communities capital fund and £50,000 match-funded by the town council.

It will be used for a scheme that includes a pedestrianised zone which prohibits all vehicles between 7am and 4pm, a fountain, a tide clock, new seating, and waste bins.

The Combined Authority say that making Wisbech Market Place “a more inviting and welcoming place for people to spend time will bring many benefits to the community”.

Councillor Andrew Lynn said: “This vision is going to become a reality now, and with confirmation of this additional funding to make the project possible, the town council cannot wait to crack on with the work.

“Our next step will be to have further meetings with the civil engineers to undertake ground surveys.”

MORE: Plans for £200,000 upgrade to Wisbech Market Place goes to public consultationJames Palmer, Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough said: “This is about getting our unique market towns fit for the future. “They are crucial to the whole region as social and economic hubs and the Combined Authority is committed to helping each prosper, taking their surrounding communities forward with them.“More people live in our market towns than in our cities. They are Cambridgeshire’s backbone – and they should be its powerhouse too. “They’ve already got a fantastic history and I want them to have a fantastic future. That means investment and that’s what the Combined Authority is putting in, along with the road and rail infrastructure that joins up, links in, and levels up.”“It’s about turning dreams into reality. The masterplans pinpoint what our towns need most and reveal huge opportunities for sustainable growth, better transport, improved accessibility and more skills training. “I hope that each market town will secure a good slice of the funding available and the town teams and districts will partner ever more closely with the Mayoral Combined Authority to help create the communities they want for themselves.”