'Edgar Street Grid' http://www.esgherefordshire.co.uk/Index.aspx
What is 'Edgar Street Grid'?
A proposed complete re-development of the north part of Hereford City. If you go to the web address above and download the ESG plan you will see a rather poor diagram of what is proposed (in .pdf format). Watch out for the roads. It is proposed to downgrade the current inner ring road, though it will still take traffic, and divert the rest of the traffic along a new road. This new road will go in front of the station. It will cut off the station from the rest of the town. Big roads in front of stations can be seen in other towns, e.g. Gloucester, Sheffield, even Ludlow in a smaller way, there is no need for Hereford to do the same. It will be a big mistake. The station should be the centre of the town, not stuck on the outskirts with a road barrier.
We have written to the ESG team and they have responded to our disquiet. They have proposed a cycle and walk only route directly from the station into the centre of the town. This is excellent of course, but it doesn't get rid of the road. There will still be a big road taking most of the current traffic and more, in front of the station. People walking and cycling will be restricted by lights and a crossing to cross the busy road, from walking into town. ESG have said that it is too expensive to take the new road behind (on the north side of) the Station. Also there are a lot of houses on the north side of the station. However, it is ESG's problem to sort. If the ESG team want to go ahead with this questionable development, they must not cut off the station from the town.
How is ESG funded?
Rather unclear, but the present team and their comfortable offices are paid for apparently by Advantage West Midlands, the quango that funds re-development in the West Midlands using European money. They seem to be answerable to no-one. AWM are the ones responsible for the Rotherwas Access Road, that would never have happened without them as the Department for Transport decided it was poor value for money and damaging to the environment, and for the Leominster Industrial Estate. This is still largely empty after four years of opening, with the main offices there being re-located businesses (e.g. the Police Station, Orphans Press, the Vets) from Leominster town.
To Join Our Campaign
Write to the Leader of the Council and your own Councillor saying that you don't agree with the development. Ask for more time to consider this major re-development. You can find the name of your Councillor at www.herefordshire.gov.uk go to Local Democracy. The Leader of the Council is Roger Phillips, Herefordshire Council, Brockington House, Hereford HR1 1SH.
Write to Advantage West Midlands, the quango financing the development. Say you think more time is needed to discuss the re-development, that it should not be funded until after the next local elections when people have had a chance to vote on the issue. Mark Pearce, AWM, 3 Preistley Wharf, Holt Street, Aston Science Park, Birmingham B7 4BN