Ilminster Town Council has released a statement to reassure traders that there are no plans to pedestrianise the town centre.

The statement reads: "The Town Council is aware of the many rumours circulating that it is intending to make Silver Street a pedestrian precinct.

"The current Town Council does not have any plans to campaign for pedestrianisation in Ilminster as it has not discussed the matter and has no intention of doing so between now and the May elections.

"During the period of 2006 to 2009 the Town Council undertook a public consultation about a vision for Ilminster and it is understood that as part of this process traffic flow through the Town Centre was discussed and a suggestion to part pedestrianisation of the centre of the town was mentioned, however it was never taken forward nor put in the project plan as an aspiration.

"Recently both the Town Council’s submission on the Local Plan and consideration of a planning application for land at Shudrick Lane have alluded to the fact that should a new road be created on the eastern side of the town it may make a pedestrianisation scheme in the town centre more viable.

"It cannot be emphasised strongly enough that the Town Council has not debated whether any form of pedestrian precinct in the town’s main shopping area would be of any benefit to residents, businesses and visitors."