Vehicles could continue to be banned from Swale's town centre until 2022 in a continued effort to protect shoppers.

In June the local authority prohibited any access to high streets in Sheerness, Sittingbourne and Faversham to make them safer as people returned to the stores after lockdown.

Now eight months on Swale council has decided to extend the road closures order, and is looking at starting a consultation for permanent traffic restrictions in the borough.

The council revealed it is continuing to review the decision as guidance from the government "adapts restrictions to reflect the ever changing situation".

A spokesman said: "Our priority is to keep everyone safe during the pandemic and to ensure the public can safely social distance while carrying out essential shopping and other tasks in our town centres.

"We will continue to monitor and review the road closures in place on a regular basis.

"We are also looking to start the consultation process for permanent traffic regulation orders in each of Swale’s towns.

"To ensure that we are following proper procedures and so that the consultation is independent, fair, open and transparent we will procure a specialist consultant.

'If this closure is about coronavirus then why isn't the road closed seven days a week? Does the virus take Sundays off?..'

"This process will also include consultations on the decision to extend the Temporary Traffic Regulation Order in our town centres until January 2022."

The council has said it will share more information on the process when it has it.

Current restrictions have seen Sheerness High Street, Broadway and part of Hope Street closed to traffic between 10am and 4pm between Monday and Saturday.

Sittingbourne High Street is also closed from Station Street to Central Avenue between 10am and 4pm on Mondays to Thursdays, while in Faversham, Court Street from Market Place to Crescent Road; Market Place; Middle Row and West Street from Market Place to 121 and 122 West Street are closed between 10am to 4pm from Monday to Thursday.

Following the decision last year traders fumed about the impact it had on their business, with some saying it would kill the High Street.

Speaking in July Toygar Hassan who runs the dry-cleaning shop said: "The moment the barriers went up, the town was deserted. "One day I took £25 all day when my rent is £37.50.

"Saturday was like a ghost town. But on Sunday, when I am closed, it was buzzing. If this closure is about coronavirus then why isn't the road closed seven days a week? Does the virus take Sundays off?"

While Stephen Saffery who owns Black Cat DIY shop said: "I understand the sentiment of a pedestrianised town centre but we don't have the volume of people to warrant it.

"We don't even have buses dropping people off. We are willing to take a one-off hit for a community event but any longer could cripple us."

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