Sustrans team 'delighted' with initial feedback on Wick street design ideas
Sustrans Scotland has said it is delighted with the feedback from the public since its street design proposals for Wick town centre were unveiled at the start of this week.
The charity's draft designs are aimed at making the High Street and Market Square area more attractive, accessible and welcoming, while also highlighting the town's cultural heritage.
The ideas – developed through a series of community activities held since last autumn – are being displayed outside the Highland Council offices at Caithness House until September 14 through a series of visualisations.
By today 56 comments had been made on the project website .
Some people have welcomed the prospect of more greenery and public seating, and plans to prevent unauthorised traffic from entering the pedestrian area, while others have been left wondering how pipe band parades in High Street and large public events in Market Square can be accommodated if some of the design suggestions come to fruition.
Kasia Koziel, Sustrans Scotland street design project lead, said today: “We’re delighted with the feedback so far on the design proposals that will see a more vibrant, accessible and welcoming High Street.
"Residents and businesses have until September 14 to share their views, and we’d encourage as many people as possible to get involved to help shape this exciting, community-led project.”
The Sustrans team is working with Highland Council and the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council to "re-imagine" the town centre. The street design project ties in with the wider regeneration initiative led by local councillors.
Initial comments on the project website include:
- “Bollards fantastic, the map idea is great just what tourists need and a strong link to Pulteneytown. We need a Wick that visitors can come to discover and understand through what is displayed. So many pass through Wick see a grotty town and move on before discovering its story."
- “Improved safety for pedestrians crossing the main road [High Street/Bridge Street junction]".
- “Delighted to see vehicles being restricted. Promoting of heritage and seating to encourage people are all welcome.”
- “Delighted to see improvements to the town and more thought given to pedestrians and to disabled, including visually impaired.”
- “The most interesting and easily implemented part of the plans – a few fairy lights can make a huge difference and the artwork/silver darlings could be a nice way to create more cohesion.”
- “Good to see restriction of vehicles through High Street and the introduction of some trees and planting will add a bit of colour to the area and make it look a lot more attractive. These plans are very exciting and will have a positive impact on the way locals and visitors view the town centre. They could be a catalyst for further regeneration and inspire people to spend time in the town centre again.
- "Community groups and businesses will need to be consulted through the detailed design to ensure that the Market Square is still accessible and usable for events such as pipe band parades, festivals and markets. Businesses and hauliers should be consulted on the proposals for the junction at Bridge Street as this is the key route through the town for commercial traffic.”
- “The proposals are exciting and will make the town centre more attractive and safe. Preventing unauthorised traffic from entering the pedestrian area is particularly welcome, although I am not sure of the requirement to have rising bollards at the Bridge Street end. Introducing more greenery and seating will make the area more attractive and encourage people to linger – it will present problems for the way the pipe band performs on Saturday evenings in July and August but this could be overcome by moving the parade into the Market Square. Large-scale events in the Market Square, e.g. massed pipe band parades, will not be possible with the new arrangements. However, these events are only held very rarely. The Hogmanay street party could probably not be held.
- "The suggestions for the lanes are very welcome as these could become a major feature for the town. The lane leading directly from the Market Square to Market Street is not included, perhaps because it involves a flight of steps and is not all-ability, but it is a well-used route and would benefit from brightening up. Likewise the path/track from Market Street to High Street is not included, it is well used but is not all-ability.”
As an alternative to online comments, paper surveys can be picked up at Co-op or the Pulteney Centre and submitted by September 14 using an enclosed freepost envelope.
Sustrans Scotland is hosting two webinars that people can sign up to. One is called " Exploring the design " and the other is " How accessible are the new designs ?"