£9M STATION REVAMP ‘WILL GO AHEAD’
Concerns for Wedgwood statue eased
A MAJOR revamp of Stoke Station will go ahead – after concerns over moving the Josiah Wedgwood statue were eased.
Planning committee members at Stoke-on-trent City Council approved the £9 million plans to transform Station Road, including proposals to move the Grade Iilisted Wedgwood statue across the road to a position in front of the station entrance.
The council’s Stoke Station scheme aims to cut the congestion seen outside the station and create a more welcoming and efficient ‘transport interchange’.
A bus gate will stop most through-traffic in Station Road, with new parking, bus stops and a realignment of the road also part of the plan. The committee deferred a decision in December, to allow time for the option of retaining the statue in its current position to be assessed. Some members expressed concerns it would lose its impact in its new position.
But on Wednesday the committee voted eight to three to approve the plans, after consultants from WSP, for the council, set out the pros and cons of moving the statue, or keeping it in place, in more detail.
They suggested it would be more of a ‘focal point’ in its proposed location on the edge of a widened pavement in front of the station, 5.7 metres from the building.
Committee vice-chair Andy Platt said computer generated images showing the statue in its new position had helped reassure him about the move.
He said: “I now think the new position actually enhances the square. To come out the station and see the statue in its new position is actually an improvement.” He added: “There’s a lot more to this than just moving the statue. This is about the whole scheme. To improve the environment in front of station, I think is really important, and to take away some of the quite dangerous parking and put them in a dedicated spot, is helpful.”
Councillor Dave Evans said: “There are merits in both options. You can’t argue with its current placing, there’s a reason why it was put there, but similarly, I don’t think it’s a terrible distance to look at it in the new position.”
But Councillor Ross Irving remained opposed to the move, saying the aesthetics of Winton Square would be put ‘out of balance’. He said: “I’m still not convinced that the general appearance of Winton Square will be enhanced.”
The council secured funding for the Station Road scheme as part of a £29 million award from the Government. The bus gate will bar all vehicles apart from buses, emergency services, taxis and Royal Mail vehicles from Winton Square. Council leaders say this will reduce congestion, allow for quicker bus journeys to Hanley, and create a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists.
Short-stay parking outside Federation House and parking bays outside Winton Square will be replaced with spaces in Car Park One, next to the Royal Mail sorting office. The plans also include new bus stops and shelters in Station Road, with displays showing real-time passenger information. Cabinet member Chris Robinson, left, welcomed the decision, adding that work could start ‘soon to ‘transform this critical travel route for the city’.
He said: “A nicer environment and highway improvements will provide safer travel options and make a big difference to residents, commuters, students and visitors.”