Former district council leader calls for pedestrian bridge (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)
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Former district council leader calls for pedestrian bridge
2:30pm Wednesday 6th February 2013 in News
By Sam Greenway
Bridge vision: Former Bromsgrove District Council leader Dennis Norton is calling for a pedestrian bridge to replace traffic lights in Market Street. Ref:s
A FORMER Bromsgrove District Council leader is calling for the introduction of a pedestrian bridge over a busy town centre road, which he says will become more dangerous if action is not taken.
Dennis Norton contacted the Advertiser about his suggestion for the erection of a bridge over Market Street, that he believes would ease pressure on a junction that is expected to be busier after the town’s regeneration.
The area currently uses a three-way traffic light system controlling traffic and allowing pedestrians - heading to the town centre or ASDA - to cross.
Traffic is also stopped in the road to allow buses and taxis to exit from Mill Lane.
Mr Norton is proposing the road’s traffic lights are scrapped and replaced with the bridge.
He asked engineer Brian Manning to draw up the structural measurements, and Fran Rogers to create this artist’s impression of his proposal - which has all been handed to the county council for consideration.
The former leader said one of the benefits of his scheme would be that Market Street would become a “normal road”, keeping traffic flowing from all directions.
“At the moment it is dangerous road,” Mr Norton said.
“I have no problem with the new developments nearby, but traffic is going to be horrendous.
“Where is all the traffic going to go?”
Mr Norton added that with the bridge, pedestrians would no longer have to wait, and it would be much safer for children to cross.
Among the regeneration projects planned near to this site are the redevelopment of the former Parkside school, which is being turned into a council hub, and the transformation of the former Market Hall site.
A Worcestershire County Council spokesman said they had received Mr Norton’s proposal, which would now be looked at.
Iain Leav says...
3:46pm Wed 6 Feb 13
I do like the lack of railings in the illustration though which allows pedestrians the choice of a detour up and down the bridge for a safer crossing or a simple, shorter walk across the road. I wonder which most people would choose?
What we really need if we are to remove congestion from Bromsgrove, esspecialy if we are going to keep building more housing estates, is a better, cheaper and more user friendly public transport system. Something which, along with this bridge, is something I don't think we will ever see in Bromsgrove.