Plan showing proposals (Jpeg 82KB)

In summary 'streetscape' concerns all the elements you walk past everyday, which contribute towards how street looks and feels to users. It includes many things like bins, lighting, bus shelters, footways, road surfaces and many other features.

With this in mind, here is what we are proposing for Emmanuel Street and Drummer Street.

A 'saw-tooth' design for the bus stops - this is considered important to maximise the number of bus stops provided in the city centre. A saw-tooth design, as the plan indicates, changes the current parallel kerb to one that sees bus stops being staggered in a  relaxed 'zigzag' line. This provides buses with better access to and from the stops. In addition it ensures buses stop in the best place for passengers getting on and off. With bus stops only on the southeast side of Emmanuel Street pedestrians passing through Emmanuel Street will be encouraged to use the north-western footway leaving the south-eastern footway primarily for bus passengers.

A 'clutter-free' emphasis - the design we are suggesting aims to keep Emmanuel Street and Drummer Street as 'clutter-free' as possible. Street furniture, including bus shelters, lights and bins, will be located at the back of the footway against existing walls where possible. In addition the bus shelters will be an open / glass cantilever design with supports also sited at the back of the footway. Where possible signs and bus timetables will also be fixed to the shelters and not erected on posts. Litter bins and light columns will be chosen to complement the overall appearance of the area.

Street lighting will form an important element of the streetscape design. Installing new lighting along Emmanuel Street and Drummer Street is essential to ensure we create the safest and most user-firendly environment where possible.

Another important element of the streetscape design is the choice of surface materials. It is proposed that a flexible (Asphalt) surface is used for the carriageway to provide a hard-wearing surface to resist the wear and tear caused by buses pulling in and out of bus stops. This is also relatively easy to maintain. It is proposed to surface the footway using man-made textured concrete slabs similar to those used in St. Andrew's Street. These are considered a reasonable balance of cost and appearance. An alternative would be to use York stone paving as used in Bridge Street which could be twice the cost and could delay implementation whilst additional funds are sought.

An example of York Stone



An example of man-made textured concrete slabs



Three raised pedestrian crossing points would be provided to cater for pedestrian movement across Emmanuel Street. The one-way flow in Emmanuel Street will include a contra-flow cycle lane for cyclists leaving the city centre.

In order to provide additional bus stops in Drummer Street it is proposed to move the existing taxi rank from its current position to the opposite side of the road. Taxis, like all other vehicles, will enter Drummer Street from either the Parker Street or Emmanuel Road direction and enter the new rank by the entrance to the bus station. Taxis will then be waiting for passengers to board from the nearside in the usual way. A shelter would be provided for waiting passengers. Next to the proposed shelter will be a raised kerb to provide disabled passengers with easier access to taxis and buses coming from the Drummer Street Bus Station.

The streetscape area will also be part of a 20mph speed limit zone proposed to improve safety, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists.