Street upgrade work gets public’s seal of approval

A major city centre street upgrade scheme completed by Derby City Council has received positive public feedback.

Last year, the city council completed a raft of public realm and active travel improvements around The Spot.

The aim was to enhance the area’s appearance, allowing more sustainable transport options and reducing city centre congestion.

To see how the improvements have been received, a consultation was launched in April to find out what residents, visitors and businesses made of the changes.

Much of the works focused on making it easier for people to choose active travel options, such as walking and cycling, in the city centre.

Almost a year on and the wider pavements, removal of unnecessary street furniture and improved crossing points were all rated highly by respondents.

There were positive responses to the relocation of bus stops, improved space around them, and the creation of new ULEV taxi parking bays.

An overwhelming majority of responses also agreed that the area looks better, is more welcoming and is safer for pedestrians.

Councillor Carmel Swan, the city council’s cabinet member for climate change, transport and sustainability, said: “We want Derby to be a city that we can all be proud of, and these improvements around The Spot have certainly played their part, from high quality sustainable travel infrastructure to a much cleaner, greener appearance.

“We are continuing to be ambitious in our efforts to make Derby a better-connected city, and these improvements are just a small part of a wider programme.

“Ten months on from completion it’s great to see that these upgrades have been well received and I want to thank everyone who took the time to respond.

“The work around The Spot is not an isolated example. There are works ongoing around the city to deliver the infrastructure that we need to make a better-connected, sustainable Derby.”

The works were part of Nottingham and Derby’s Transforming Cities programme and delivered by Eurovia Infrastructure on behalf of Derby City Council.

The programme is funded by the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund.

Working in partnership, Nottingham City and Derby City councils secured £161 million to invest in local transport infrastructure that will improve sustainable transport, support growth, and encourage more low carbon journeys.