Jobs given to local workers on the £1.2m revamp of Morledge
WORK on a £1.2 million transformation of the city centre has begun – with a pledge to hire as many local construction workers as possible.
Morledge, from outside the new bus station to Full Street, is being overhauled to improve the area for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists.
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Geoff Poyzer, of North Midland Construction, Lincoln Smithers, principal design engineer, and Councillor Matthew Holmes.
It is also hoped that the work, expected to be completed by the end of January next year, will attract more people to the city centre.
Extra disabled parking spaces will be created, along with more places for cyclists to store bikes and a new taxi rank.
Many of the temporary bus stops that lined the street while the station was built have already been removed.
Councillor Matthew Holmes, deputy leader of the city council, yesterday helped to lay one of the first kerbstones.
He said: "This is yet another step forward for Derby. It's an absolutely fantastic thing – it proves we are still open for business in difficult times.
"We want to be proactive in getting people to come to the city centre to shop, so this will be a good thing for local businesses too."
Mr Holmes said some details of the revamp were changed after the Tories took control of the council from the Liberal Democrats in May.
But he said the changes had all been "common sense" ones. He also said they had listened to concerns of residents in drawing up the final plans.
Eight disabled parking spaces will be created, five loading bays, four taxi spots and one stop for community transport buses.
Lincoln Smithers, the council's principal design engineer, was involved in drawing up the plans.
He said: "We want to create a better, safer area for everyone using this area of the city centre, using good-quality materials to do it, such as granite and York stone.
"We want to make the city centre a nicer place to visit."
Geoff Poyzer, a director of North Midlands Construction, said 20 of his staff were at work on the project and they had tried to hire as many local people as possible.
He said: "This is one of a number of public-realm schemes we are carrying out in major cities around the country. It will be a big enhancement.
"We are trying to employ as many local people as we can to help the local economy."
The Tories added plans for a taxi rank outside the new bus station entrance following feedback from passengers frustrated they had to cross the Morledge to hail a cab.
They scrapped a £90,000 public art scheme for the area which would have seen a French artist install chairs at various points in the city.
Mr Holmes said that the council would try to keep disruption "to a minimum", but urged people using Morledge over the next six months to be patient.
He added: "The benefits will be huge."
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by Hopeful for the future, Derby
Tuesday, August 03 2010, 10:59AM
“It's good to see that efforts are still continuing to brighten this 'tired' bit of Derby, and that local employment is seen as a priority for the use of public funds.
I am sure the majority of people will see this as a welcome initiative, whatever might be said by the all too predictable nay-sayers.”
by TW, Derby
Monday, August 02 2010, 1:54PM
“Tom - are you suggesting there is a more suitable location for the bus station? Where is it? One alteration I would suggest is making the traffic light controlled exit from the bus station a box junction so that the hard of thinking car drivers stop blocking it when they want to make sure they get through the next green light regardless of whether there is anywhere for them to gone, once through the lights.”
by TW, Derby
Monday, August 02 2010, 1:53PM
“Tom - are you suggesting there is a more suitable location for the bus station? Where is it? One alteration I would suggest is making the traffic light controlled exit from the bus station a box junction so that the hard of thinking car drivers stop blocking it when they want to make sure they get through the next green light regardless of whether there is anywhere for them to gone, once through the lights.”
by Rams Fan, Oakwood
Monday, August 02 2010, 10:50AM
“The Morledge 'as is' creates a horrible first impression for visitors and it would be far better to visually improve the area with a uniform application of attractive stone setts and re-alignment of the road itself, but pedestrianisation would be a disaster.
There is precious little amenity for drivers as it is and I think by effectively cutting off the Cathedral Quarter even more than they have already then the trade there will fail completely. Most of the 'footfall' in Derby is from residents, not daytrippers, and if they all are forced to alight their vehicles at the Westfield then surely trade would be severely impacted at the other, more attractive end of town.
I hope the improvements go as far as removing the God-awful blot on the landscape that is 'Quad' to elevate the vista from the Morledge too..”
by Tim, Derby
Sunday, August 01 2010, 6:16PM
“So more pedestrianisation is what you want eh Tom?
OK, just so long as it has cycle provision!
With all the complaints about the very few who ride on St Peter's Street we get told to use Full Street and the Morledge. Ban us from there and you might as well ban us from crossing Derby. As it's already dangerous riding through there when busy then i just hope the alterations actually give us some space to travel safely.
And yes. there needs to be better provision for the disabled, so any pedestrianisation needs to take this into account.
A better solution is for the area to be used only by buses, taxis, cyclists, and disabled. It'd be quieter for everyone.”
by Tom Fulep, Sinfin
Sunday, August 01 2010, 11:57AM
“Go down Leicester, a city twice the size of Derby. They seem to have thought things out with pedestrianised areas.
DCC tries to attract footfall by plonking anything anywhere without anywhere without thought to the city's character, what little is left of it.
As Neil says, the Morledge could be a gateway to the forgotten Cathedral Quarter. Sensible and thoughtful planning is the key. DCC are using a hair-grip to unlock our city.”
by New Dragon, Derby
Saturday, July 31 2010, 10:51PM
“How nice of all these wise people to suggest yet more pedestrianisation.
And what do you suggest for those of us who thought injury, illness or disability can only walk short distances?
Just ban us from most of the City centre?
And NO we dont want to sit on little motorised trikes so that morons and cretins (which Derby seems to be ful of) can treat us as if we dont exist and point us out like some kind of freak. We want to be able to drive to near where we need to go, so that it's within walking distance albeit we may have to rest on the way.
Yet again the selfish and the thoughtless ignore the wishes of the rest.”
by Neil, Derby
Saturday, July 31 2010, 9:17PM
“Have these plans been subject to any public consultation and scrutiny BEFORE the contractors start? Is this going to be another example of huge amounts of public money being spent and the public getting a less than ideal outcome? I don't know what the precise answer is but actually I do wonder, with Tom, whether a more radical solution like pedestrianisation should be considered? And I wonder if it should go way up to Full Street so that something can be done to salvage something good from the Cathedral Green "improvements" that are completely cut off from the Cathedral by the race track of Full Street?......”
by TW, Derby
Saturday, July 31 2010, 6:58PM
“That'd be excellent for those who get on the buses at Osnabruck Square and along Victoria Street/The Wardwick, wouldn't it? How are you proposing to serve that end of town?”
by Tom Fulep, Sinfin
Saturday, July 31 2010, 6:09PM
“The inner ring.”