Facelift for Torquay's Fleet Street in New Year
Work will start in the New Year on phase one of a scheme
to regenerate the Fleet Street shopping area of Torquay.
The Torbay Council scheme, which will involve temporary
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road closures and alterations to bus services, is being carried out following
consultation held in May when proposals were welcomed by local businesses and
residents.
The 140-metre section of Fleet Street that will be
improved is between The Strand and the Oggy Oggy pasty shop and KFC restaurant.
Block paving that was originally laid in 1989 will be
removed and will be replaced with granite paving similar to the paving already
used in Union Street.
A two tone colour surface with tactile paving to assist
people with visual impairments will be laid.
This will create a clear division between the road
surface used by buses and delivery vehicles and the area for pedestrians.
Other enhancement work will be carried out to provide
more space for pedestrians and to improve facilities for people waiting to
catch buses.
Contractors will start work on site in the third week of
January, and the scheme is scheduled for completion by the middle of June.
From 14 January to 19 February, Fleet Street will be
closed to buses to enable critical works to be completed. It will have to be
closed again for a further week towards the end of the contract for carriageway
surfacing works.
Temporary closures will also be needed in The Terrace and
part of Cary Parade.
Changes to bus services during the closure periods will be
publicised, and letters are being delivered locally to inform people of the
works schedule and road closure dates.
Throughout the scheme, Torbay Council and the contractors
will liaise with shops and businesses to ensure that access for pedestrians and
deliveries is maintained.
The New Year scheme forms the first of a proposed
three-phase £2.5-million Fleet Street revamp, with the next two phases being
subject to funding being allocated in future budgets.
Cllr Robert Excell, Executive Lead for Safer Communities
and Transport, said: "Fleet Street is a very prominent area of Torquay and
we are keen to improve it.
"We have been working closely with the Torquay Town
Centres BID team to make sure we came up with the most appropriate scheme for
this busy street.
"We received very positive feedback in May when we
put the scheme out for public consultation, and I am pleased that work will get
underway in the New Year.
"One of the benefits of the scheme's design is that
the kerbs at the edge of the carriageway will reduce the risk of flooding to
properties, which has been a real problem in the past.
"We recognise that the scheme will cause some
inconvenience, in particular for bus users, but everyone will be able to enjoy
the benefits once works have been completed."
Streetscene Service Manager Patrick Carney said:
"The road was constructed over 20 years ago. It is starting to look its
age and is becoming a maintenance liability.
"The safety record for the road is actually very
good, but we have over the years received reports that people do not always
feel safe.
"The new layout has been designed in accordance with
the latest government guidance and will address many of these concerns."
Comments
by nicold
Saturday, December 15 2012, 6:54PM
“I can't wait to see the granite paving, pebbled dashed with chewing gum!”
by Kerswellpalm
Saturday, December 15 2012, 4:22PM
“I'm afraid I agree with godhelpus. Torquay gets new paving around the harbour, rock walk and seafront along with town centre revamp whilst Paignton and Brixham get left to crumble. The paving in Hyde Road in Paignton has been there sine the 70s. I don't begrudge Torquay, it is looking much better than it did a couple of years back, but the other 50% of council taxpayers live in Brixham and Paignton, so we should have some spent here too.”
by spindleshanks
Friday, December 14 2012, 8:24AM
“Torbayluvva - again you're right - like 6 inch kerbstones are going to alleviate the flash floods that occur in Fleet Street. One Stagecoach bus driving down a flooded road will soon negate the kerbstones.
Having re-read the article above, the £2.5 millions is just for starters without any mention of the cycle route. What is worrying is that the scheme as proposed may not even be completed - with as stated in the article above"the next two phases being subject to funding being allocated in future budgets". May be a case of "Follow the yellow brick...cul-de-sac".
I am not against the rejuvenation of Fleet Street once the public have had their say for a change trough the Neighbourhood Planning process. Otherwise it is a bit like Torbay Council sticking two fingers up to Localism.”
by TorbayLuvva
Thursday, December 13 2012, 7:31PM
“Spindleshanks - perhaps another issue for the Forum to consider is proper flood protection measures for Fleet Street following what happened in 2007. Seems like nothing is now being planned? The BBC reported last July that £1.8m which had been earmarked by SWW for Fleet Street had been switched to alleviate flood problems in Cornwall: http://tinyurl.com/bls4jvb
In terms of the Council proposals for a dedicated cycle route running down Union Street and then Fleet Street to the Harbourside, I think this is actually extra money over and above the £2.5m mentioned in the article above!! And is it just me or is it utter madness to think that you could add fast moving cyclists (who would be pedalling down hill of course) into the current bus and pedestrian mix?”
by spindleshanks
Thursday, December 13 2012, 3:06PM
“Spot on Torbayluvva - this is a complete waste of money and someone, somewhere needs to be held to account. "Jumping the gun" springs to mind. £2.5 millions is a lot of money.
At the last Torquay Neighbourhood Planning meeting involving the Prince's Foundation, the biggest problem identified by the group was the one of appeasing Stagecoach should the decision be taken to stop buses using Fleet Street.
One solution offered was to dig up sections of Fleet Street and allow the natural water feature that is already there, (albeit buried underground), to be on view to the public - i.e. the River Fleet. Effectively the harbour would be extended up to the top of Fleet Street.
Thoughts anyone?”
by Azriel22
Thursday, December 13 2012, 2:59PM
“Clearly Torbay council was not aware that Christmas falls on 25th December this year.
I see decorative lights are being installed as I write along Cary Parade.
Torbay is not Blackpool (Illuminations 30th August), Brighton (15th Nov.) or even Bournemouth & Poole (25th Nov.) not even little Weymouth leaves it later than 1st Dec.
Looks like Torquay will be finished in time to bring them down on 12th night.”
by TorbayLuvva
Thursday, December 13 2012, 2:20PM
“The Council's Transport Working Party is meeting this very afternoon (13th Dec at 4pm) to consider new plans to install - and I quote - "A cycle link through Union Street, Lower Union Street, Fleet Street and Palk Street (via upgraded crossing) to Torquay Harbourside". Since there is no mention of a cycle route being installed in the above article, does this mean that Fleet Street will need to be dug up again / closed again at a later date? Why isn't all the proposed work being done at the same time to minimise disruption and cost, especially when the Council is having to cut its budget by £10m? And if the Council is trying to embrace Localism, what account is being taken of the work of the Torquay Neighbourhood Forum? Cllr Darren Cowell is pictured elsewhere in today's paper promoting the Torquay Neighbourhood Plan and he also sits on the Transport Working Party, so perhaps he could explain this apparent throwing of money down the drain?”
by spindleshanks
Thursday, December 13 2012, 11:05AM
“Just as the Torquay Neighbourhood Plan is about to recommend pedestrianisation. What were the loud splashing noises I just heard? Oh yes another £2.5 millions being poured down the drain. Never mind, given the choice of this or another 125 palm trees......”
by godhelpus
Thursday, December 13 2012, 10:45AM
“there is a general feeling amongst the residents of both Brixham and Paignton that the names of the said Brixham and Paignton be removed and replaced by the whole bay being re-named TORQUAY as they feel that this will be the only way that the their areas will ever be considered of equal importance as the (jewel in the crown) ha! ha!”