Infrastructure

Flooding is being addressed through a flood alleviation scheme, designed to divert flood waters from the Yazor Brook at Credenhill to the River Wye, to the west of the city.  Planning permission for the proposals, which have been endorsed by the Environment Agency, was granted by Herefordshire Council in October 2009.  This will result in 115 existing homes and businesses in Hereford being removed from flood risk.

Other local flood alleviation measures will be provided as part of the Urban Village development.

The proposed new link road represents the key to unlocking Hereford city centre, providing improved connections with Edgar Street, Widemarsh Street and Commercial Road. 

Traffic flows, junction design and environmental issues have all  been investigated and incorporated into the designs for the 850m long carriageway.  Cyclist and pedestrian safety are a priority and the new link road will provide easier access across a new, bigger city centre. The main junctions will be traffic light controlled with access points to the future Urban Village development.  The new crossing outside the railway station incorporates the latest thinking in pedestrian schemes, as seen in Oxford Street, London.

The new road is expected to be built in three phases beginning in 2011 in Edgar Street.

Traffic levels on the inner ring road and Commercial Road will be significantly reduced as a result of the new link road.  A new focus on people rather than cars will also promote pedestrian movements between the historic city streets and a lifestyle change with the introduction of shared space.

The introduction of ‘shared space’ to Hereford is currently at the centre of on-going discussions, workshops and forthcoming consultations, and reflects a new concept which has been pioneered in Europe and successfully introduced in Ashford, Kent; Kensington High Street and Oxford Circus in London.

As its name suggests, ‘shared-space’ allows drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to use the same area in harmony with each other.  Gone is the clutter of road markings, signs and barriers.

The proposals reflect an idealistic yet innovative approach, and combine the forward thinking vision of Ben Hamilton-Baillie, Kelvin Campbell and Chris Oakley, internationally renowned transport and urban design experts.

Transport continues to be a challenging issue across Herefordshire with limited public transport in a rural county and a continuing reliance on the private car.  As part of the new vision to improve access to, and the use of public transport , the idea of an integrated transport hub and the creation of a Station Square as a flexible space with new interchange facilities has been welcomed as a concept. 

Providing a sense of arrival for visitors and a central connectivity point for all modes of transport, the hub will provide transfer opportunities for trains, buses, taxis, private cars, hire cars, cyclists and mobility vehicles.  The safety of pedestrians is a priority and people on foot will benefit from wide and well drained pavements, with benches and other rest and shelter facilities readily available.