Here’s how Meadowhall's new traffic light queuing system could work

The trial is part of a host of new measures the shopping centre has brought in to help keep staff and customers safe, which include a ‘keep left’ system, enhanced cleaning and monitoring visitor numbers.

The traffic light system uses red and green signals to indicate if visitors are able to enter a shop or not, depending on capacity. Queues will not be allowed outside shops as that would jeopardise people’s ability to social distance.

Instead, shoppers will be required to keep moving as part of the ‘keep left’ system to help people safely move around the centre while maintaining a two-metre distance from others.

Recently launched traffic light technology at Aldi provides an indication of how the system may work at Meadowhall. The supermarket chain launched the automated system in some stores following a successful trial.

A red light will show that customers need to wait, keeping the automatic doors closed. When a space becomes free inside, the light will turn green and the doors will then open. The next customer in the queue can then go inside the supermarket.

To help maintain social distancing, visitor numbers will be ‘carefully managed’ to make sure everyone can reasonably maintain social distancing. Access to the centre and its car parks may need to be temporarily halted should demand peak.