News: Council plans another public realm scheme for Rotherham town centre
Another scheme of public realm improvements in the town centre has been unveiled by Rotherham Council, aiming to create a more pedestrian friendly area.
The work to improve Upper Millgate and Corporation Street public space scheme will form a key gateway between the Forge Island leisure development and the town centre.
Rothbiz reported this week that building work is on track at Forge Island ahead of opening to the public towards the end of summer 2024.
But Council-led work to extend the culture and leisure quarter beyond Forge Island has hit delays.
For example, Rothbiz repotred in October on delays to Riverside Gardens - a riverside park alongside the Forge Island development.
Plans were approved in June for a scheme using a mixture of soft and hard landscaping to create a gateway on an area extending from the demolished Riverside Precinct, covering the old abattoir site behind Market Street and passing the Old Market, Keppel Wharf and Westgate Chambers residential developments.
With rising costs and procurement problems, the local authority was forced to combine the work together with other planned public realm improvements in the area.
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Humberside-based CR Reynolds is being lined up for the contract, which is being paid for through the government’s Levelling up Fund.
Now further details have been revealed for the rest of the scheme where the aim is to create a more pedestrian friendly area, incorporating green spaces and seating, as well as enhancing the crossing points to Riverside Gardens and the cinema, hotel and restaurants on Forge Island.
Aspects could include the widening and improvement of footways and public realm along Corporation Street, and reduction of crossing distances, to provide better access for pedestrians.
The current restrictions to traffic (except buses) travelling up towards Ship Hill would be kept, although bicycles will now be permitted to travel up Corporation Street. All traffic will still be allowed to travel down Corporation Street.
One key idea is to remove the signalised pedestrianised crossing at Upper Millgate (the gateway to Riverside Gardens and Forge Island) with an informal, raised crossing point with a reduced crossing length, "to better cater for pedestrians."
At the junction with High Street and Ship Hill the traffic lights could be permanently removed following a trial period through 2023. The junction layout would be changed to provide better visibility for drivers pulling out of the junction on Ship Hill, with improved public realm and reduced crossing distances.
A council consultation document states: "Corporation Street does not carry heavy levels of traffic, and the light controlled crossing was not and cannot be located where it is most convenient for pedestrians to cross. The signals also effectively prioritised traffic. The proposed arrangement, including traffic calming, the raised crossing point, and narrower carriageway, will enable pedestrians to cross more freely, and more quickly than allowed for by correct use of the crossing."
A decision on the way forward for the regeneration of the former bank buildings on Corporation Street is expected in February.
Images: RMBC
The work to improve Upper Millgate and Corporation Street public space scheme will form a key gateway between the Forge Island leisure development and the town centre.
Rothbiz reported this week that building work is on track at Forge Island ahead of opening to the public towards the end of summer 2024.
But Council-led work to extend the culture and leisure quarter beyond Forge Island has hit delays.
For example, Rothbiz repotred in October on delays to Riverside Gardens - a riverside park alongside the Forge Island development.
Plans were approved in June for a scheme using a mixture of soft and hard landscaping to create a gateway on an area extending from the demolished Riverside Precinct, covering the old abattoir site behind Market Street and passing the Old Market, Keppel Wharf and Westgate Chambers residential developments.
With rising costs and procurement problems, the local authority was forced to combine the work together with other planned public realm improvements in the area.
Advertisement
Humberside-based CR Reynolds is being lined up for the contract, which is being paid for through the government’s Levelling up Fund.
Now further details have been revealed for the rest of the scheme where the aim is to create a more pedestrian friendly area, incorporating green spaces and seating, as well as enhancing the crossing points to Riverside Gardens and the cinema, hotel and restaurants on Forge Island.
Aspects could include the widening and improvement of footways and public realm along Corporation Street, and reduction of crossing distances, to provide better access for pedestrians.
The current restrictions to traffic (except buses) travelling up towards Ship Hill would be kept, although bicycles will now be permitted to travel up Corporation Street. All traffic will still be allowed to travel down Corporation Street.
One key idea is to remove the signalised pedestrianised crossing at Upper Millgate (the gateway to Riverside Gardens and Forge Island) with an informal, raised crossing point with a reduced crossing length, "to better cater for pedestrians."
At the junction with High Street and Ship Hill the traffic lights could be permanently removed following a trial period through 2023. The junction layout would be changed to provide better visibility for drivers pulling out of the junction on Ship Hill, with improved public realm and reduced crossing distances.
A council consultation document states: "Corporation Street does not carry heavy levels of traffic, and the light controlled crossing was not and cannot be located where it is most convenient for pedestrians to cross. The signals also effectively prioritised traffic. The proposed arrangement, including traffic calming, the raised crossing point, and narrower carriageway, will enable pedestrians to cross more freely, and more quickly than allowed for by correct use of the crossing."
A decision on the way forward for the regeneration of the former bank buildings on Corporation Street is expected in February.
Images: RMBC
18 comments:
Undesirables, boats, Calais, clowns etc etc
Stop wasting bloody money on pointless temporary schemes,town as enough grassy areas,(for lowlifes to gather and booze on)Fence the areas off,save money and wait while proper development is viable.As said stop wasting our money!
Your posts are evidence that we have quite a lot of clowns and undesirables of our own.
Calm down darling, I was mocking the person who usually makes such posts.
Apologies
I think we need a few more grassy knolls
They don't even stop people going wrong direction or on the one way streets around millgate.
Have all rules but enforce them.
You can't have too many green spaces.
Which one way streets do you mean? I spend a lot of time in the town on business and I have never seen anyone travelling in the wrong direction
Had to use Rotherham Town Centre for the first time in a few years yesterday. My God it's depressing, the land that time forgot populated by folk who've just given up on life!
Lower millgate for a start takeaway drivers going down the one way area plenty of signs. Stand 10 mins there you will see them, the one way on corporation street
Also drivers using the high street for a cut through when it only meant to be for loading and unloading.
Some of the ugliest people you’ll ever see frequent the town centre. Not to mention out of town establishments like The Bluecoat.
The reason that Rotherham town centre is depressing is because many people "only use it for the first time in years" and then blame the people who do use it. And I wonder what qualifies you to determine who has given up on life and who hasn't? You sound like a self opinionated, judgemental and self satisfied sort of person - but that's just my opinion.
Problem is people need a reason to return to town and currently we don't have one.
Where did I mention the people who work there?
The Walking Dead would've been a perfect filming ground for that TV show. It's a dump, simple as!
Maybe you would have got a job as an extra.
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