Access to the new bus station

The new Morpeth bus station opens next Tuesday (17th) - and demolition of the old bus station starts straightaway, so lets hope there's no 'Terminal 5' type problems, because there is no fall-back cover if something doesn't work first time.

Access will be from the T&G Allan passageway from Newgate Street while the demolition and redevelopment continues in Back Riggs. Should be a bit of a boost for the Newgate Street shops.

The Comrades Club, HealthiChoice and Ladbrokes are persistently remaining open in Back Riggs at the centre of the chaos. They'll be accessed from Bridge Street.

Friday 13th: possibly a slight hitch: apparently the bus bays have not be laid out in a deep enough chevron, so that passengers will have difficulty getting on and off if buses are parked in adjacent bays. But - I'm sure they'll sort it by Tuesday...

Considerate Constructors

The early signs are that the contractors (Maunsell), the County Highways Team, Dransfields, the Borough Council - most people involved in the Town Centre redevelopment are prepared to be flexible and try to minimise disruption.

A first indication of this spirit occurred yesterday: Maunsell have built their compound in Lumsden Lane car park and according to the plans, have left a hammerhead turning point for lorries and kept Lumsden Lane itself, leading into the Market Place, open for pedestrians.

Then on Friday, M&S suddenly realised that their delivery lorries might block the pedestrian route and create health & safety problems. On Monday, Maunsell reviewed possibly safety problems to pedestrians with their deliveries to the compound. The immediate maximum safety solution was to exclude pedestrians altogether by closing off Lumsden Lane - and the request to do so went into Highways.

And here's where the thoughtfulness and flexibility comes in - Highways delayed implementation a couple of days to sound out other views.

So - yesterday, I, together with the owners of Boulevards and Jewellers Guild (who depend on Lumsden Lane for passing trade) persuaded Highways (thanks!) to investigate a less drastic option: keeping the Lane open but monitoring problems. I hope M&S will work with us on this.

I also hope that lorry drivers and pedestrians are sensible and alert to the dangers - I don't want this new-found flexibility to lead to injury or worse!

Contact phone numbers for Maunsells and for Highways have been issued against any problems arising.

Dransfield start work!

Finally, the Town Centre development has got underway - well, the works compound has been constructed, and work on the new bus station should start next week (Mon 21st). For a while there, I was horribly afraid they'd stop with what they've got so far - the filling station and car park (which wouldn't have got planning permission on their own).

Dransfield are holding a 'prestigious ceremony' to launch the work - with 'local dignitaries, stakeholders and retailers' on 24th July - at the Comrades Club. Don't know if they'll give Irene Brumwell, the Castle Morpeth Mayor a pneumatic drill to 'cut the first tarmac' - I'd like to see that! Oh - of course, I got an invite - unfortunately, I'm 'not available to attend'. Such is life.

I don't think they'll starting on Back Riggs or the Sanderson Arcade proper till November or December, because the Main Post Office there isn't due to close till October. And I'm sure they'll ease up in the Morpeth Christmas shopping jamboree... after all, this is a private sector development, and it's in their interests to keep Morpeth a 'vibrant shopping centre'

Back Riggs Redevelopment

Update 4th July - work is definitely starting. Dransfield will be posting progress reports on a dedicated website

Rumours are hotting up that work on the next phase of the Back Riggs development is imminent - I gather that a works compound is going to be established at the bottom end of Back Riggs car park from July 7th, and work will start on the new bus station (behind M&S) from July 21st.

Refurbishment and estension of the Low Stanners car park is underway - and should be complete by early August.

Lumsden Lane will be closed - though foot access to the Market Place will remain through the Sanderson Arcade. Stallholders at the Wednesday Market will be unloading and loading from Bridge Street - and keeping their vehicles in the New Market rather than Lumsden Lane. Unfortunately, the works compound for the Town Hall is where the stallholders' vehicles were originally planned to go.

The next stage of the Back Riggs redevelopment is construction of the new bus station and the extension of Morrisons. Then demolition of the old bus station and refurbishment of Back Riggs, and finally refurbishment of Sanderson's Arcade.

Where's the 'bring' recycling centre gone?

The Borough Council have moved the recycling bins (glass, clothes etc) from next to the Co-Op by Morpeth Bus Station!

I've seen a number of people turning up with carrier bags full of bottles, or parking up, opening their car boot - and then looking round in a rather puzzled manner.

In fact - there is a sign saying the bins have been moved to the Terrace Car Park (by the library) - but it is rather small, and you have to get quite close to the map to wirk out the new location...

- which will be OK for people with car loads of recyclables, but more difficult for those of us walking whilst struggling with carrier bags.

I guess it is all part of preparation for the Town Centre redevelopment - can't quite remember if the new lay-out for Back Riggs included a recycling centre. I rather feel it should...