Hereford City Link Road Opens Monday 11th December

[Colin James]

The City Link Road will open to the public on Monday 11 December 2017.

 

 

The road opens in time for the busiest Christmas Shopping period

 

The road will mark a significant milestone in the regeneration of Hereford City following on from the successful opening of Old Market in 2012.

 

Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd will remain on-site for some weeks to undertake some final minor works and to finish the associated works to Barr’s Court Road.

 

Once open the new road will provide an east to west route and a direct walking and cycling link from the Great Western Way to the hospital, railway station and colleges.  The road’s opening will also reinstate a second entrance to Merton Meadow car park in time for the Christmas shopping period.

 

Councillor Philip Price, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure said:

“I am delighted to announce that the road is opening on time and within budget and I would like to thank Alun Griffiths for the professional delivery of the road. More importantly, I would like to thank residents near to the road and the travelling public for their patience during the works.

 

The road marks another milestone in Hereford’s regeneration and we now look forward to making further improvements to High Town next year and Commercial and Blueschool Streets in the near future.

 

The new road unlocks previously unseen and under-utilised inner city land for development and plans can now be taken forward for the site to build new homes, a transport hub at the Hereford Railway Station, new public services buildings and university accommodation.”

 

[Alex]

Lets hope it is worth, time will tell

[Paul Jones]

How many new sets of traffic lights? 

[ragwert]

How many new sets of traffic lights? 

Too fkn many.No need for the ones at Station App,Widemarsh St,new road to football car park. Roundabout would of been perfectly ok.

[Steve Major]

This has never been a popular project in the absence of a bypass and I am not convinced this is better for Hereford but we will see

[Maggie May]

Well I hope no one here will complain about me cycling along the footpath here as the whole pavement is "shared space" - not ideal for either pedestrians or cyclists and very poor on a brand new road construction.

I understand that despite the cost of the road there is no dedicated, safe protected cycle path along the length of this road despite the Council claiming that there would be one. An opportunity lost if Hereford is to become a University City - as students are very happy to walk and cycle everywhere.

[DILLIGAF]

I’m with you on that Maggie. It’s also becoming a shoutfest along the GWW. On the upside more folk are using it - just not politely! As bycyclists we are expected to mount the grass in order to pass pedestrians 3/4 abreast with no intentions of changing their path.....

[Glenda Powell]

When I was still a councillor I knick named this road together with the south Wye transport package (A465 to A49) as the road to know where and reading this and comment made my opinion has not changed. TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY!! They should of built another bridge across the river or built the long awaited bypass.

[adamski]

I’m with you on that Maggie. It’s also becoming a shoutfest along the GWW. On the upside more folk are using it - just not politely! As bycyclists we are expected to mount the grass in order to pass pedestrians 3/4 abreast with no intentions of changing their path.....

Dilligaf, I agree, the GWW is going that way. However, I'm sure I read once that in any area classed as "shared use", where cyclists and pedestrians mix, the cyclists are expected to be considerate and pedestrians have the priority. This is how the designs were envisaged, but it seems to be unknown.

If you think about it, where pedestrians consist of parents and young children, you can't have dozens of cyclists hurtling along at 20+ mph, at that point, it's basically a road with people walking on it!

[ragwert]

Dilligaf, I agree, the GWW is going that way. However, I'm sure I read once that in any area classed as "shared use", where cyclists and pedestrians mix, the cyclists are expected to be considerate and pedestrians have the priority. This is how the designs were envisaged, but it seems to be unknown.

If you think about it, where pedestrians consist of parents and young children, you can't have dozens of cyclists hurtling along at 20+ mph, at that point, it's basically a road with people walking on it!

How many cyclists will be on the shared parh? I'm guessing by how many use the cycle lanes/paths in Hereford...Not many.

[Maggie May]

I agree that cyclists should be considerate when sharing space with pedestrians as they are the faster moving object. Logically cars should then be considerate to cyclists on the road. In my experience cycling around Hereford many road users are considerate (grey haired lady lit up like a Xmas tree)  but you only need a few drivers passing too close & at speed to knock the confidence of a cyclist, and even worse knock them over. I have had a number of close passes and it can really shake you up.

Along a straight stretch of flat road like the City Link Road cyclists can easily be cycling at over 10mph, and good cyclists much faster. The cyclists at this speed should really cycle on the road to protect pedestrians, and yet motorists will complain, (as in many other posts) that cyclists aren't using the "cycle path" provided for them!

This is not the fault of any individual it is just really bad transport design and planning, especially on such a wide stretch of new road. I understand Herefordshire Council apparently promised the Government that there would be a safe cycle path along the length of the road, and yet it has not been built. I love getting around on my bike and it is much better for me and everyone else if I do so rather then use a car. However, my transport needs seem to get squeezed out just because I choose to cycle and yet I pay my taxes the same as everyone else. :(

[ragwert]

I agree that cyclists should be considerate when sharing space with pedestrians as they are the faster moving object. Logically cars should then be considerate to cyclists on the road. In my experience cycling around Hereford many road users are considerate (grey haired lady lit up like a Xmas tree)  but you only need a few drivers passing too close & at speed to knock the confidence of a cyclist, and even worse knock them over. I have had a number of close passes and it can really shake you up.

Along a straight stretch of flat road like the City Link Road cyclists can easily be cycling at over 10mph, and good cyclists much faster. The cyclists at this speed should really cycle on the road to protect pedestrians, and yet motorists will complain, (as in many other posts) that cyclists aren't using the "cycle path" provided for them!

This is not the fault of any individual it is just really bad transport design and planning, especially on such a wide stretch of new road. I understand Herefordshire Council apparently promised the Government that there would be a safe cycle path along the length of the road, and yet it has not been built. I love getting around on my bike and it is much better for me and everyone else if I do so rather then use a car. However, my transport needs seem to get squeezed out just because I choose to cycle and yet I pay my taxes the same as everyone else. :(

Promised the Govt..Hell Maggie lets not start making up stories about the Link I mean relief,no Link road.Nothing to do with the Govt.Have a look at the plans on planning portal.

As a keen cyclist myself I find no problem with shared paths with pedestrians usually because I'm the only muppet using them,everyone else cycling is using the road.

 

On another note me and my father in law will try and be the first cyclists to use the Link Road on Monday.

 

[DILLIGAF]

COMMON SENSE AINT THAT COMMON ANY MORE!

Adamski- consideration and courtesy works both ways and costs nothing. But still there are muppets who do not know how to use a cycle lane or shared path. There are many pedestrians and cyclists who do. But the uneducated ones have no hope.

Ive given up counting how many ride without lights or highviz both on road paths and shared....... a stick through the spokes🤬

 

Let’s make it clear - it’s exactly the same as driving on the road; keep to the left and pass on the right. Simple.

[SON OF GRIDKNOCKER]

So was it worth the wait and the almighty disruption of the last two years? And will it, when all the bills are finally in (like the true costs of Blueschool House), turn out to be an extremely expensive white elephant?

 

A Voice poster recently queried what the council will call it. May I start the ball rolling with this suggestion: WHITE ELEPHANT WAY.

 

One serious omission seems to be total lack of tree planting along the new road's route, though token sections of the banking around the former Rockfield DIY site have been planted with evergreens. Any phule know that trees lining heavily-used urban highways are very effective pollution filters. Yet White Elephant Way seems to have none, as far as I can see. Lots and lots of traffic signals, but no trees.

[ragwert]

So was it worth the wait and the almighty disruption of the last two years? And will it, when all the bills are finally in (like the true costs of Blueschool House), turn out to be an extremely expensive white elephant?

 

A Voice poster recently queried what the council will call it. May I start the ball rolling with this suggestion: WHITE ELEPHANT WAY.

 

One serious omission seems to be total lack of tree planting along the new road's route, though token sections of the banking around the former Rockfield DIY site have been planted with evergreens. Any phule know that trees lining heavily-used urban highways are very effective pollution filters. Yet White Elephant Way seems to have none, as far as I can see. Lots and lots of traffic signals, but no trees.

Hell of a lot of construction along this road has not even started yet so What's the point of planting the trees (see planning app) 

[Chris Chappell]

I saw an old edition of the Hereford Times, 1909 I think. Can’t remember. Everyone was up in arms, never work, waste of money, road to nowhere. Today it is one of the busiest road in the city but fortunately, Barr’s Court Road is going to be much less busy after Monday!

[SON OF GRIDKNOCKER]

Pleased to see that cyclists and street-savvy pedestrians are starting use the excellent Brian Wilcox Back Passage, which connects Union Street with Morrisons' car park.

[ragwert]

Think they must be expecting snow.Just seen the gritter lorry gritting the Link Road 

[atm63]

I cannot believe how many drivers can't work out the new lane layout at the lights by KFC heading towards Aylestone Hill, left lane for Morrisons/ new road right lane for hospital or Aylestone Hill. It has even been colour coded ffs. Same as approaching the roundabout by Pizza hut from A49 people just seem to be confused . 

[Steve Major]

The snow has buggered up the grand opening tomorrow

[Denise Lloyd]

All resources will be transferred from the more needy areas to keep this long awaited and exceedingly costly road open

[ragwert]

The Link Road will not open until current weather conditions improve.

[Denise Lloyd]

More

We will keep the new city link road which was due to open this evening, closed until the current weather conditions have passed to avoid distracting resources from keeping our existing priority routes clear across Herefordshire.

 

From HC Twitter

[bobby47]

Once the appointed tw.at has cut the ribbon, I give it three months before the tarmacadam begins to crack, the notorious Hereford PotHole emerges, the levels are found to be wrong requiring they dig up the road to remedy the problem, the drains don't shift the surface water and the traffic lghts ain't helping the congestion that's sure to follow thus buggering up anything and everything that's located in close proximity to this fiscal monument to bloody stupidity.

Negative? Not really. Just realistic and open to the idea and that this Council buggar up anything they're associated with. This Pointless Road will be no exception. At over two thousand pounds per square metre, this short hop from Edgar Street to Aylestone Hill is the most expensive road ever constructed in mainland Britain and we paid for it.

[Alex]

Far too many traffic lights

[adamski]

Bobby47

It would be interesting to actually know if this was the most expensive road ever built on a square metre basis.

[bobby47]

Adam, it is. It is because I said it is and if I say it is as far as I'm concerned it is. My warmest regards lad.

[adamski]

Adam, it is. It is because I said it is and if I say it is as far as I'm concerned it is. My warmest regards lad.

Fair enough!

Enjoy your festive season.

[SON OF GRIDKNOCKER]

An unintended spin-off created by White Elephant Way (aka the Link Road), and clearly evident in Colin's picture at the top of this thread, is that this city has a railway station to be proud of: visually far more exciting than either Shrewsbury, Newport or Temple Meads. This Grade II listed building is the overall responsibility of Network Rail, though rather unusually for this ham-fisted organisation, it managed to foist a full-repairing lease for the structure's maintenance and improvement onto Arriva Trains.

 

"What improvements?" I hear you ask. Apart from the two disabled lift towers, very little. Most of the woodwork needs a good coat of paint and the fact that the entire first floor has remained empty for more than a decade is nothing short of a disgrace. Has anyone any thoughts on what this huge area might be converted into?

[ragwert]

An unintended spin-off created by White Elephant Way (aka the Link Road), and clearly evident in Colin's picture at the top of this thread, is that this city has a railway station to be proud of: visually far more exciting than either Shrewsbury, Newport or Temple Meads. This Grade II listed building is the overall responsibility of Network Rail, though rather unusually for this ham-fisted organisation, it managed to foist a full-repairing lease for the structure's maintenance and improvement onto Arriva Trains.

 

"What improvements?" I hear you ask. Apart from the two disabled lift towers, very little. Most of the woodwork needs a good coat of paint and the fact that the entire first floor has remained empty for more than a decade is nothing short of a disgrace. Has anyone any thoughts on what this huge area might be converted into?

Still being a child I see with your negatives on my posts.Unlike you I don't really give a toss....Carry on....BOY