Plymouth Council has set up a ‘Safer Delivery Zone’ for restaurant delivery riders and drivers to rest at between deliveries in the Devon town.

Riders can wait in the area with benches for up to 30 minutes as they await their next call out for deliveries. The trial has been set up as a safe place for drivers and riders that doesn’t impact pedestrians in the centre of the town. Should it be a success, there will be other Safer Delivery Zones set up for riders across the town where there are high volumes of restaurants offering deliveries.

A Plymouth Council spokesperson said: “The Safer Delivery Zone on New George Street is a pilot scheme that we are trialling so that delivery drivers waiting for orders from restaurants can leave bikes and vehicles in a safe place that does not impact on pedestrians or business, but also supports the drivers in being able to work effectively.

“Alongside this we and our Unify Plymouth … are regularly meeting with drivers and riders to listen to their concerns so that we can build a training package to suit their needs.

“Over the next few weeks, we’ll be monitoring how the Safer Delivery Zone is working and if it is successful, it could be rolled out to other areas of the city where there are a high number of takeaway venues.”