shop eat play | live
Works to improve traffic flow in one of the busiest areas of Worcester city centre will be starting in June. As part of Worcestershire County Council’s wider programme of works to relieve traffic congestion and improve walking and cycling routes, the Sidbury Junction area of the city will be undergoing a range of improvements.
A key part of the works is the replacement of the almost 50 year old traffic light system with signals that use the latest technology. The new signals will regularly monitor traffic conditions and will adjust how long a particular light remains green based on the level of traffic. They will also have the ability to build up a memory so, at certain times of the day, they will be able to adapt to cope better with peak traffic.
To improve traffic flow along the City Walls Road from the north, the approach lanes will be extended further toward the Fownes Hotel which will enable vehicles to get into the correct lane earlier than they are able to at present. In addition to the replacement of the signals and lane extensions, there will also be a number of improvements being made for pedestrians and cyclists. A new signal-controlled pedestrian crossing will be installed at the northern end of Commandery Road which will include a central refuge to make it more user-friendly for pedestrians. The work will all take place between Clare Street in the north, Wylde’s Lane in the east, the southern end of Commandery Road where it joins Bath Road and Cathedral Square in the west.
Although most of the daytime work will be carried out during the school holidays to minimise disruption, initial works to carry out installation of ducting will start during the week commencing 17th June when there will be up to 7 successive overnight closures between 20:00 and 06:00. Worcestershire County Council’s contractor will be carrying out the work in phases and will therefore restrict the number of routes that are closed each evening to minimise the impact of the work, i.e. they will not all be closed on the same evening. Any diversions that are necessary will be signposted. The work will be carried out in accordance with Worcestershire Regulatory Service’s Code of Best Practice for Demolition and Construction Sites but the Council apologises in advance if some of the work is noisy. An overnight night closure of the Edgar Street/College Road junction is scheduled to take place one evening in mid-July (precise date tbc).
Towards the end of June, the footways on the west side of Commandery Road and College Street will be closed for the installation of ducting. An alternative route will be signposted for pedestrians.
Between the beginning of July and the end of August there will be lane restrictions on the Sidbury/College Street/City Walls Road junction, the College Street/Edgar Street junction, the College Street/St Peter’s Street junction and the Sidbury/Commandery Road/London Road junction. This work will be carried out in phases and even when a particular junction is having work carried out, all manoeuvres will be possible, i.e. you will be able to turn left and right out of/into all of the roads listed above.
At the end of August/early September there will be further overnight closures to carry out surfacing work. The precise dates will be confirmed on the County Council website nearer the time.
Every effort will be made to minimise the impact of the work and most of it is scheduled to take place during school holidays. During the works the current traffic signals will need to be removed and temporary signals will be installed pending the new signals coming into operation.
Please note that the work programme outlined above may be subject to change but you can find out more about the scheme and any updates on the County Council website at https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20254/major_infrastructure_and_improvement_schemes.
If you have any queries about the scheme, please email the County Council at majorprojects@worcestershire.gov.uk.
If you have any concerns about the impact of the work on an event you are organising or business deliveries for example, please contact Alun Griffiths Contractors (Ltd) on 03301 071484
** Information provided by The Major Projects Team, Worcestershire County Council, 06/06/2019 **
Maggs Day Centre is in need of donations:
• Sunhats,
• Suncream,
• Bottles of water, and
• Small and Med men’s underwear
If you are able to donate any of these items, drop them off at the Worcester BID office and we’ll run them down for you.
Worcester BID Newsletter
Be the first to know and subscribe to our Worcester BID Newsletters! Simply email dilys.watson@worcesterbid.com with your details.
UPCOMING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
First Aid one-day course: Tues 18th June (£20+VAT)
FREE Social Media: Getting to Grips – Facebook & Instagram: Wed 12th June
FREE Social Media: Advanced Facebook & Instagram: Thurs 13th June
FREE Social Media: Getting to Grips – Twitter: Wed 10th July
FREE Social Media: Advanced Twitter: Thurs 11th July
For more details on the above and other training opportunities, click here to email Shelly.
Best Bar None applications are open! Alcohol-licensed premises have until 7th June to apply for accreditation. The process is free, and will award your business with a Bronze, Silver or Gold award.
Click here to download an application form! Please send completed forms to info@worcesterbid.com
Worcester BID obtained government funding through Worcester City Council to enlist the professional help of Ramora Facilities to give a deep-clean to Friar Street, New Street, Pump Street and Mealcheapen Street. Over the past week, they steamed and blasted chewing gum and dirt out of the roads and pavements, leaving a noticeable difference.
The operation is part of Worcester BID’s Attractive City project.
Footfall Reports
Click here to see the footfall report for April 2019.
If you would like to be added to our weekly footfall distribution list, please click here to email Dilys.
|
|
Please take notice of Crowngate car park overnight works taking place from 15th May onwards and use alternative city centre parking or public transport at these times to enjoy Worcester’s fantastic restaurants and bars in the evenings.
Click on the following link to view Crowngate’s Spring Bank Holiday opening hours
The highly anticipated After Worc Feast Street springs up for the first time on Thursday, May 2, in Cathedral Square, bringing with it a selection of street stalls so exciting you won’t know where to start.
As well as Worcester’s own finest dining, the fabulous foodie collective known as Grub Club will be giving you the chance to sample gourmet and innovative delicacies from the likes of Patty Freaks, Fat Snags, Urban Cheesecake and Boxfood.
You know those beautiful doughnuts with bizarre but intriguing toppings you’re always seeing photos of?
Worcester’s monthly After Worc Feast Street gives you the chance to find out what they actually taste like, while escaping to a very aesthetically pleasing fairy-lit world where calories don’t count, and the dessert-stomach is definitely a thing.
You’ll find culinary connoisseurs selling everything from burgers and bhajis, to churros and cheesecake, and dangerously good drinks by the bucket.
After Worc Feast Street is proud to be an all-inclusive event, catering for a variety of dietary needs with an inspiring range of vegan and vegetarian options.
Vegan burgers, doughnuts and street food from around the world will be on offer, so that there truly is something for everyone.
The vibrant food festival will be held in the heart of the city on the first Thursday of every month throughout the summer, with different live entertainment on show at each After Worc Feast Street so you can enjoy the best local talent while you relax after a hard day’s work with a speciality cocktail and some Instagram-worthy goodies.
The After Worc Feast Street has been designed with you in mind. Stalls pop up from 4pm-11pm, so it’s the perfect opportunity for an after-work outing with your favourite colleagues as well as the place to go if you want to make a night of it with friends and family.
Worcester BID is able to offer free and heavily subsidised training courses to our BID businesses and their employees!
Please complete our current Training Needs Survey Form and return it to us by email or post by 24th May.
If you feel your business could benefit from different training, let us know and we’ll be delighted to look into it for you.
Worcester BID is now in the final year of its second 5-year BID term. From impactful marketing campaigns, The Worc Social magazine, fashion, lifestyle, motoring, food and drink and events, City Sessions, footfall reports, planters, Christmas lights and reduced parking to the CityNet radio scheme, City Ambassadors, improved signage, masterclasses and training, gull sacks, lobbying and cost savings projects – there has been a huge variety of opportunities for businesses from all sectors to get involved with to get the most out of the BID to support their individual business.
There is plenty more to be done and we would love to continue working with and for you in the next five years. We appreciate that businesses’ needs and the city centre environment are changing over time, so it is critical that we receive your feedback on projects and services you would like us to deliver for you in the next five years. These can be existing projects to be continued and completely new projects that would make a difference to your business, for your customers and the city centre, and boost the profile of Worcester.
We have already received a lot of valuable feedback from businesses as part of the Mid Term Review, our individual business visits and City Sessions. There have also been some initial planning sessions with the BID team and BID Board Directors, who are representing you as the businesses and their individual sectors and geographical areas.
The next step is our BID3 Consultation Document and Survey, where you can voice your views on what you would like to see delivered in the next five years.
Make sure to have your say and either complete a paper copy of the survey included in the BID3 Consultation Document or online via Survey Monkey. All BID levy paying businesses will be sent a hard copy by post w/c 8th April. You can return your completed survey by post to Worcester BID, 4 Copenhagen Street, Worcester, WR1 2EY by Thursday 9th May 2019. Alternatively, you can also contact us to arrange for collection on 01905 731612 or info@worcesterbid.com.
Remember, this is your BID and you as the businesses are the ones who steer the future projects and what we deliver for you. Thank you for your support and we look forward to hearing from you!
The scheme which is set to improve traffic flow in the area and provide a safer crossing for those who use this busy road, is due to start next week.
The improvements, which are being completed by Worcestershire County Council, include the upgrade of the existing uncontrolled (Zebra) crossing to a controlled pedestrian and cycle (Toucan) crossing, removal of the existing roundabout near the entrance to the Cattle Market Car Park and an improved road alignment with updated car park access.
To improve the road alignment ahead of the new crossing being introduced, the current mini roundabout needs to be removed and this is the first work to be completed as part of the scheme.
Whilst this takes place, temporary traffic signals will be required. Once the work to remove the roundabout is complete, the temporary traffic signals will be removed as the majority of the remaining works can be completed off the carriageway without any major impact on traffic.
At the end of the scheme the road will be closed overnight for a few nights from 9pm to 6am for resurfacing works. A diversion route will be signposted for vehicles.
For the duration of the scheme, the access to the Cattle Market Car Park from Croft Road will be closed so vehicles wishing to use the car park are advised to use The Butts entrance.
Pedestrians will be unaffected during the works due to the installation of a temporary crossing and minor pedestrian diversions which will be in place at all times.
*** Details by Worcestershire County Council, 02/04/2019 ***
Our next City Session will be held at Pret A Manger, High Street on Friday 5th April at 8am.
Several important topics will be discussed, including some Visit Worcester updates, a Best Bar None update, our consultation document and more!
You can book your place at the meeting here.
See you there!
