Railway bridge will be 'gateway' to city (From Malvern Gazette)

Shut the Gate behind you!

Start on the station now! It makes the first impression of the city gruesaome for visitors. Roll on Norton Parkway...

John Smith aka Derek Prodger

At least Prodger was articulate unlike Smith

John Smith aka Derek Prodger

At least Prodger was articulate unlike Smith

"for anyone coming into Worcester from the north, the impression they get as they approach Foregate Street bridge gives them a feel for what Worcester as a whole is like" Possibly I'm being dim, but you can't actually drive from the north (ie from the Tything) down Foregate Street and under the bridge can you? I can't think many visitors will be walking to Worcester that way. And although you can drive at it from the south, any visitor will already have been stuck for some time in the poxy traffic jams around the City Walls Road and up onto The Cross. They've probably already made their minds up by then...

CJH wrote:
"for anyone coming into Worcester from the north, the impression they get as they approach Foregate Street bridge gives them a feel for what Worcester as a whole is like" Possibly I'm being dim, but you can't actually drive from the north (ie from the Tything) down Foregate Street and under the bridge can you? I can't think many visitors will be walking to Worcester that way. And although you can drive at it from the south, any visitor will already have been stuck for some time in the poxy traffic jams around the City Walls Road and up onto The Cross. They've probably already made their minds up by then...

Hear, hear. A city centre with only one bridge crossing? With half a ring road?
With congestion as the norm in the Butts, Foregate St, the Tything and City Walls Road? With car park charges STILL killing trade in the centre?

I despair.

If I was a visitor to Worcester, there is no way I'd return if driving. It barely matters what time of day you travel, Worcester just grinds to a halt, resulting in short journeys taking an age, while getting from one side to the other, whether it be north to south or east to west, is just a joke.

And it's all down to poor planning and decision making by the highways department. It's as if they're trying deliberately to make driving awkward. For example, when you're driving along Barbourne Road and The Tything, how many traffic lights are there?! For its size, Worcester has to be the worst place I've driven in. I find far bigger places like London easier to negotiate.

Redhillman wrote:
If I was a visitor to Worcester, there is no way I'd return if driving. It barely matters what time of day you travel, Worcester just grinds to a halt, resulting in short journeys taking an age, while getting from one side to the other, whether it be north to south or east to west, is just a joke.

And it's all down to poor planning and decision making by the highways department. It's as if they're trying deliberately to make driving awkward. For example, when you're driving along Barbourne Road and The Tything, how many traffic lights are there?! For its size, Worcester has to be the worst place I've driven in. I find far bigger places like London easier to negotiate.

"It barely matters what time of day you travel, Worcester just grinds to a halt..."
Outside of rush hour it's fine.

"resulting in short journeys taking an age."
Get your fat arse out of your oversized mobility scooter and walk then if it's a short journey.

People moaning about the amount of traffic while sitting in their car, priceless.

Saturn V is not too hot on rocket science, is he?

I would like to walk around Worcester but I have to get there first and buses along the A44 are few and far between. The cost of parking takes away all the incentive to go there.

The centre would not be so congested if the council made the long term decision to complete the ring road once and for all. The existing ring road clogs up so quickly that the Malvern road becomes a rat run into town. Oh, I forgot, politicians can't make long term decisions because all they care about is not offending too many people in case they lose the next election.

Stop tinkering with Whittington roundabouts and ugly railway bridges (why didn't the rail companies pay for their infrastructure maintenance?) and MAKE THE BOLD, EFFECTIVE, LONG TERM DECISION FOR THE ULTIMATE GOOD OF ALL YOUR ELECTORS!!!

Saturn V wrote:

Redhillman wrote:
If I was a visitor to Worcester, there is no way I'd return if driving. It barely matters what time of day you travel, Worcester just grinds to a halt, resulting in short journeys taking an age, while getting from one side to the other, whether it be north to south or east to west, is just a joke.

And it's all down to poor planning and decision making by the highways department. It's as if they're trying deliberately to make driving awkward. For example, when you're driving along Barbourne Road and The Tything, how many traffic lights are there?! For its size, Worcester has to be the worst place I've driven in. I find far bigger places like London easier to negotiate.

"It barely matters what time of day you travel, Worcester just grinds to a halt..."
Outside of rush hour it's fine.

"resulting in short journeys taking an age."
Get your fat arse out of your oversized mobility scooter and walk then if it's a short journey.

People moaning about the amount of traffic while sitting in their car, priceless.

Well said Saturm V. To many moaners on here who have forgot what their legs are for.

Saturn V wrote:

Redhillman wrote:
If I was a visitor to Worcester, there is no way I'd return if driving. It barely matters what time of day you travel, Worcester just grinds to a halt, resulting in short journeys taking an age, while getting from one side to the other, whether it be north to south or east to west, is just a joke.

And it's all down to poor planning and decision making by the highways department. It's as if they're trying deliberately to make driving awkward. For example, when you're driving along Barbourne Road and The Tything, how many traffic lights are there?! For its size, Worcester has to be the worst place I've driven in. I find far bigger places like London easier to negotiate.

"It barely matters what time of day you travel, Worcester just grinds to a halt..."
Outside of rush hour it's fine.

"resulting in short journeys taking an age."
Get your fat arse out of your oversized mobility scooter and walk then if it's a short journey.

People moaning about the amount of traffic while sitting in their car, priceless.

I use my car when there is a need, and I'd use it even less if public transport in the city wasn't so shocking and overpriced, while i would walk if time constraints weren't an issue either in some cases. But if I did have a mobility scooter, I'd have no hesitation in mowing you down, that way there'd be no further uninformed comments from you, unless you're fully aware of every person's individual situation, which would make you rather special.

broadwas wrote:
Saturn V is not too hot on rocket science, is he?

I would like to walk around Worcester but I have to get there first and buses along the A44 are few and far between. The cost of parking takes away all the incentive to go there.

The centre would not be so congested if the council made the long term decision to complete the ring road once and for all. The existing ring road clogs up so quickly that the Malvern road becomes a rat run into town. Oh, I forgot, politicians can't make long term decisions because all they care about is not offending too many people in case they lose the next election.

Stop tinkering with Whittington roundabouts and ugly railway bridges (why didn't the rail companies pay for their infrastructure maintenance?) and MAKE THE BOLD, EFFECTIVE, LONG TERM DECISION FOR THE ULTIMATE GOOD OF ALL YOUR ELECTORS!!!

The politicians missed the biggest chance to make a bold decision and really improve the City a few years ago.
When the old Bus Station was closed down it should not have been built on. When Midland Shires Farmers closed that monstrosity of a building should also have been flattened.
The area could then have been turned into a park.
The road along the riverfront could have been rerouted away from the river through the old council yard across the edge of the new park.
You would then have been able to walk along the river all the way from the Cathedral, along Pitchcroft, and out onto Geluveld Park.
That is the sort of chance that very rarely occurs but no-one had the sense to go for it.
Instead we are stuck with a wonderful river with a main road along each side of it preventing us from making best use of it.
I know that area now houses the Hive, a building that I am on record as saying dislike the appearance of. It would have easily been possible within the boundaries of the proposed park to have built something that was really beautiful, landscaped it well and made it look like it really belonged there.
A chance like that will not occur again in my lifetime, what a shame it was missed.
A similar chance was also missed on the other side of the river. The road could have been rerouted away from the river through the area now occupied by Homebase and PC World and across the back of the park. The park could then have been extended down to the river.

New Kid on the Block wrote:

broadwas wrote: Saturn V is not too hot on rocket science, is he? I would like to walk around Worcester but I have to get there first and buses along the A44 are few and far between. The cost of parking takes away all the incentive to go there. The centre would not be so congested if the council made the long term decision to complete the ring road once and for all. The existing ring road clogs up so quickly that the Malvern road becomes a rat run into town. Oh, I forgot, politicians can't make long term decisions because all they care about is not offending too many people in case they lose the next election. Stop tinkering with Whittington roundabouts and ugly railway bridges (why didn't the rail companies pay for their infrastructure maintenance?) and MAKE THE BOLD, EFFECTIVE, LONG TERM DECISION FOR THE ULTIMATE GOOD OF ALL YOUR ELECTORS!!!

The politicians missed the biggest chance to make a bold decision and really improve the City a few years ago. When the old Bus Station was closed down it should not have been built on. When Midland Shires Farmers closed that monstrosity of a building should also have been flattened. The area could then have been turned into a park. The road along the riverfront could have been rerouted away from the river through the old council yard across the edge of the new park. You would then have been able to walk along the river all the way from the Cathedral, along Pitchcroft, and out onto Geluveld Park. That is the sort of chance that very rarely occurs but no-one had the sense to go for it. Instead we are stuck with a wonderful river with a main road along each side of it preventing us from making best use of it. I know that area now houses the Hive, a building that I am on record as saying dislike the appearance of. It would have easily been possible within the boundaries of the proposed park to have built something that was really beautiful, landscaped it well and made it look like it really belonged there. A chance like that will not occur again in my lifetime, what a shame it was missed. A similar chance was also missed on the other side of the river. The road could have been rerouted away from the river through the area now occupied by Homebase and PC World and across the back of the park. The park could then have been extended down to the river.

Very good, NKOTB!

Well denon County Council Cabinet member John Smith, will have to go a long way to equal the huge waste of Highways money as did Prodger the dodger when in office. And as to being articulate you must be talking about some other Prodger (who I have known for 60+years)
The point that was missed was the pleasure on the face of Simon Geraghty, possibly that the inconvenience for his Taxi Buddies was soon to be over.

It's great that the bridge is finished at last. Now - who is now going to do something about the discraceful condition of the wall under the bridge on the west side? Until this is sorted out I would not consider the work on the bridge to be complete.

Omicron wrote:
It's great that the bridge is finished at last. Now - who is now going to do something about the discraceful condition of the wall under the bridge on the west side? Until this is sorted out I would not consider the work on the bridge to be complete.

Yes, what about that ugly grey box to the right of the bridge in the photograph at the top of the article? Come on, Network Rail, if you still exist, and do your job.

broadwas wrote:

New Kid on the Block wrote:

broadwas wrote: Saturn V is not too hot on rocket science, is he? I would like to walk around Worcester but I have to get there first and buses along the A44 are few and far between. The cost of parking takes away all the incentive to go there. The centre would not be so congested if the council made the long term decision to complete the ring road once and for all. The existing ring road clogs up so quickly that the Malvern road becomes a rat run into town. Oh, I forgot, politicians can't make long term decisions because all they care about is not offending too many people in case they lose the next election. Stop tinkering with Whittington roundabouts and ugly railway bridges (why didn't the rail companies pay for their infrastructure maintenance?) and MAKE THE BOLD, EFFECTIVE, LONG TERM DECISION FOR THE ULTIMATE GOOD OF ALL YOUR ELECTORS!!!

The politicians missed the biggest chance to make a bold decision and really improve the City a few years ago. When the old Bus Station was closed down it should not have been built on. When Midland Shires Farmers closed that monstrosity of a building should also have been flattened. The area could then have been turned into a park. The road along the riverfront could have been rerouted away from the river through the old council yard across the edge of the new park. You would then have been able to walk along the river all the way from the Cathedral, along Pitchcroft, and out onto Geluveld Park. That is the sort of chance that very rarely occurs but no-one had the sense to go for it. Instead we are stuck with a wonderful river with a main road along each side of it preventing us from making best use of it. I know that area now houses the Hive, a building that I am on record as saying dislike the appearance of. It would have easily been possible within the boundaries of the proposed park to have built something that was really beautiful, landscaped it well and made it look like it really belonged there. A chance like that will not occur again in my lifetime, what a shame it was missed. A similar chance was also missed on the other side of the river. The road could have been rerouted away from the river through the area now occupied by Homebase and PC World and across the back of the park. The park could then have been extended down to the river.

Very good, NKOTB!

Sorry, this scheme would be a bit like shuffling the deckchairs on the Titanic. It would need a road crossing from Tybridge Street to All Saints Road to work.. You could then extend Cripplegate Park down to the river and pedestrianise North Quay between the two bridges.

Now all the scaffolding is down are the taxis moving back to their original place and parking opposite the old library returned to it's previous 45 min parking for the general public? I do hope that the Council will not leave it as extra parking for taxis I consider that they already have too much already in Worcester city centre.

Don't hold your breath, since both sides of the Council play to the Asian vote and the controlling strength of this comes from the Mosque,in fact we could well see more Taxi rank spaces. Even though for over TEN YEARS there has been a dedicated rank in Queen Street which does not get used by Taxis at all. yet you can see Blue Badge visitors to this city getting tickets for parking / waiting on this unused rank, even though the traffic Wardens have to contact the police to issue a ticket since they (traffic wardens) have no jurisdiction over the ranks.

Am I the only one who can't see the difference ? Its appears to have taken months for them to just to paint it a ligher shade, its not like when it was unveiled after the refurbishment I immediately felt the need to get down on my knees in front of its magnificence.