Urban design improvements

The way the Centre looks has impact on its ability to attract traders, and therefore on its economic vitality.

At the moment, the Centre has a mixture of outdated street furniture in styles ranging from the 1960s onwards. The street furniture is haphazard, and this, combined with a range of surface treatments, makes the Centre look dated.

A completely new environment needs to be created, including the following elements.

Seating

There will be good quality seating in places where people will actually use it. The seats will be made of dark grey steel with wooden slats. Each seat will have individual arm rests to help people with physical disabilities and older people. Arm rests will also stop the seats being abused by skateboarders. In partnership with Punch Taverns, a piazza style seating area will be installed at the front of the Harrington Arms.

Paving

A mixture of macadam, paving slabs and blocks will provide a visual separation between areas for vehicles, areas for pedestrians, and seating areas.

                                         

 
Lighting

Improving lighting both on the road and on the pedestrian areas provides drivers with better visibility to help to reduce the possibility of accidents, and
removes any dark areas, making the Centre feel safer and those using it more secure.

 
Parking areas

People using the Centre want to be able to park safely and easily. Existing on-street parking will be improved, and new parking introduced. There will also be new signs to show drivers where off-street parking is available. Parking areas for disabled drivers who display a blue badge will also be introduced in key areas.

Cycle parking

At the moment, cyclists have to lock their bikes to street furniture. New cycle stands in the same dark grey as the seating and other street furniture will be installed in strategic places.

Litter bins

Large bins in a combination of wooden slats (the wood harvested from sustainable forests) and dark grey steel will be installed in a variety of locations throughout the Centre, including locations near to seating areas.

Bollards

To stop cars driving into pedestrian areas and parking in dangerous places, steel bollards will be installed. These will again be finished in the dark grey used elsewhere within the Centre and will be capable of carrying small signs to show parking restrictions.

Bus shelters

Many people travel to and from the Centre by bus, including those using the Airport Flyer. New shelters will be installed, again finished in dark grey. These shelters will be regularly cleaned and maintained.

Trees and plants

A full arboricultural survey of the Centre has been carried out. It has identified which existing trees will stay, and where new trees need planting. These new trees will be complimented with root grates, as shown below and tree guards.

The trees will be complemented by low-level, low-maintenance shrubs and plants such as lonicera and Cotoneaster.

                                               

Crossings

There are currently four pedestrian crossings in the Centre. A new crossing point will be installed between Iceland and the Co-op.

The existing crossings will be refurbished with new black poles, push buttons and lights. Some crossings will be upgraded to Toucan crossings, for use by both pedestrians and cyclists.

The crossing and central reservation on Shardlow will be widened and made a straight-through crossing, improving the vista for pedestrians and vehicles. Some of the trees will remain in situ, whilst the existing wall and some other trees will be removed and replaced with a smaller decorative wall and a new planting scheme.

Tactile paving

There are around a million visually impaired adults in the UK. Visually impaired people either move around independently, or with the aid of a sighted guide, or with the aid of a guide dog.

To help visually impaired people, crossing points will be clearly defined with tactile paving to provide a contrast in colour and tone. At controlled crossing points throughout the Centre, the tactile paving will be red or pink in colour.

Public toilet

The existing public toilet isn’t accessible to all, and looks out of place. The level of the pavement outside the toilet will be raised to make it more accessible, and the its appearance will be improved.

                                            

Public Art

Public art will be installed as part of the district centre improvements. An artist will be commissioned to work with the community and develop a series of artworks for the centre.

Examples of public art in Derby