Residents back Stourbridge town centre improvement plans
A consultation on the future of Stourbridge town centre has shown significant support for a plan to drive more footfall into the town and boost trade.
Stourbridge residents and businesses have backed proposed changes to the main gateways and public spaces in the town centre, which are designed to create more welcoming entrances to the town with improved landscaping and greenery.
Locals also gave the green light to proposals to make the town easier to navigate for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as traffic calming measures to reduce speeds and improve road safety in the town centre
Twice as many people said they preferred to cross the Stourbridge ring road using the pedestrian crossings at surface level compared to subways.
Over 55% of those who responded to the consultation supported the introduction of more disabled parking bays around the town centre.
Feedback also showed that improving the retail offer and staging more events and activities in the town were most likely to encourage people to visit more often.
Councillor Paul Bradley, deputy leader of Dudley Council, said:
“Stourbridge is a growing town with a great deal of potential. We believe that the proposals we’ve laid out will help to fulfil this promise, improving infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists and creating more attractive public spaces.
“I’d like to thank those who took the time to share their views during the consultation period. The feedback gathered has been very helpful and I’m pleased to hear that residents and businesses have shown their support for our plans.
“We will make sure local people’s opinions are taken into account at each step as we continue our work to make Stourbridge a better place to live, work and shop.”
The results of the consultation will be used to shape Dudley Council’s plan to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists into and around Stourbridge town centre.
The project will be funded by the West Midlands City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) fund, which is held by the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Work is also continuing to develop a Business Improvement District (BID) for Stourbridge following a feasibility study to gauge support among local traders.
If successful, the Stourbridge BID will support businesses, market the town and give businesses a joint voice, giving them the ability to directly influence positive improvements for the town to attract more visitors.
More information on the planned Stourbridge BID is available at www.ryemarketshoppingcentre.co.uk/stourbridgeBID.
People can also visit https://www.regeneratingdudley.org.uk/stourbridge-consultation