Bradford | City Park | Complete

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Originally Posted by Baht'at

Another demolition site:



What I don't understand is why this is necessary

It's a pointless ugly stinking bridge, I don't mind it being knocked down at all.

[emma72]

Originally Posted by *-City Of Bradford-*

It's a pointless ugly stinking bridge, I don't mind it being knocked down at all.

Me neither - In fact its probably the only aspect of the city regeneration scheme that I do agree with!

[Mezzo]

Originally Posted by Dan B

Agreed, the roads will probably be the biggest problem, but there doesn't seem much of an effort to counteract them with elements that you might expect in a park. Why there isn't more of an effort to downgrade or alter these roads somehow I don't know, but its sure to hinder any chances of this plan being a success.

I've just been trawling through the T&A archive, and was surprised to discover that closing Prince's Way was actually one of Alsop's suggestions back in 2003:

Sweeping changes to remove traffic's stranglehold on Bradford city centre are contained in a regeneration masterplan.
The blueprint proposes closing much of the inner city ring road, which isolates important areas of the city and leaves pedestrians continually having to cross choked roads.
International architect Will Alsop and his team have even recommended that Prince's Way, which links Manchester Road and Godwin Street, be closed for a trial period to assess the impact.
>>
The traffic plans received a mixed reaction today.
Bradford South Labour MP Gerry Sutcliffe said: "The ring road has always divided up the city in a negative way. Closure would be welcome providing it is achievable and doesn't slow traffic down and create problems in other areas."
Bradford Council's executive member for the economy, Councillor Simon Cooke, said: "We get some heavy goods drivers using the city centre like a main trunk road and something needs to be done.
"It seems adventurous to close Prince's Way for a while but we have to be very careful that we still allow people into the city by car. We mustn't stop them. The whole thing needs to be looked at carefully."

Full article:
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u..._for_traffic_/

It's a shame that the council adopted a load of his more lunatic ideas, but not this one. If we've got to have this bloody park, it seems ridiculous that Prince's Way isn't being looked at again.

[Mezzo]

Originally Posted by Baht'at

Another demolition site:

What I don't understand is why this is necessary given the malarial swamp is to the other side of City Hall.

I don't really have a problem with the bridge going, I just don't understand why there's such a great rush to do it. The Norfolk Gardens part of City Park isn't even being looked at yet.
Also, as usual Bradford seems a bit too handy with the wrecking ball without actually thinking things through:

Originally Posted by T&A

A small section of the bridge by the Hilton will remain for the time being.

What are the odds it'll still be there in a couple of years?

[Baht'at]

Originally Posted by Mezzo

I don't really have a problem with the bridge going, I just don't understand why there's such a great rush to do it.

Exactly my point - personally I don't think any work should be done on Hall Ings until they manage to replace the Hilton and the NCP.

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Originally Posted by Baht'at

I don't think any work should be done on Hall Ings until they manage to replace the Hilton and the NCP.

Can't see anything happening to the NCP or the Hiltons for a while yet.

Hall Ings landmark makes way for City Park scheme

The main part of the footbridge across Hall Ings in Bradford city centre is to be demolished this weekend.

Removing the bridge is one of the first stages of the City Park project, which aims to transform the area surrounding City Hall.

The 80-tonne section that crosses Hall Ings will be lifted off on Sunday at 9am and transported out of the city centre. Cranes will move on site to lift this main section.

Hall Ings from Bridge Street to the Jacobs Well roundabout will be closed from 6pm tomorrow until 5am on Monday, to allow the lift to take place.

Hurray, it's being demolished. So, where are they taking the bridge to? Straight to the landfil? Or is it going to be 'recycled'?

[Yorkshire Boy]

*Sigh* Looks like another way BCC has nicely stalled on the regen. Why they don't just save the money from pointless things like this, and spend it on other things is beyond me.

[BradfordBorn&Bred]

Originally Posted by Baht'at

Exactly my point - personally I don't think any work should be done on Hall Ings until they manage to replace the Hilton and the NCP.

The Hilton and the NCP do not form part of the City Park scheme. The buildings are in different ownership to this project and any redevelopment of them is not likely to take place anytime soon. Therefore waiting for their development is not a sensible option.

In all honesty the bridge is poorly utilised, is an eyesore and not likely to be missed. Pedestrian movement should not be raised in the air, especially within the city centre. It's about time the pedestrian realm was given priority and not left to play second fiddle to the car so I welcome its demolition, and I welcome it now.

I imagine a suitable pedestrian crossing will be implemented as a replacement, and more importantly would be better utilised.

[BradfordBorn&Bred]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Boy

*Sigh* Looks like another way BCC has nicely stalled on the regen. Why they don't just save the money from pointless things like this, and spend it on other things is beyond me.

Why do you think it's pointless Yorkshire Boy?

[Yorkshire Boy]

Originally Posted by BradfordBorn&Bred

Why do you think it's pointless Yorkshire Boy?

Because it's not an extreme blight in Bradford IMO, it's just an unused bridge, and I'm pretty sure the money used could be used to better things. Don't you?
I mean yes, it helps a little, but it shouldn't be top of BCC's priiorities.

[ahillyar]

There already is an alternative crossing, the pelican crossing at the end of Bridge Street

Very few people enter the Interchange via that footbridge, the tunnel that the footbridge leads to was never refurbished when the rest of the Interchange was done a few years ago. It's still in it's original 1970s state with the brown tiles and black rubber flooring.

[Yorkshire Boy]

Originally Posted by ahillyar

There already is an alternative crossing, the pelican crossing at the end of Bridge Street

Very few people enter the Interchange via that footbridge, the tunnel that the footbridge leads to was never refurbished when the rest of the Interchange was done a few years ago. It's still in it's original 1970s state with the brown tiles and black rubber flooring.

I know, i lived in Bradford for 18 years, and i've seen it used once or twice at best. But its not in need of demolition, is it?

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Boy

Because it's not an extreme blight in Bradford IMO, it's just an unused bridge, and I'm pretty sure the money used could be used to better things. Don't you?
I mean yes, it helps a little, but it shouldn't be top of BCC's priiorities.

Well I think it makes the area feel slightly depressing, It just looks awful and if they're going to try improve the area, the Bridge is the first thing they should be thinking about demolising. I know the NCP Car Park and Hiltons are just as bad, but at the end of the day, the Car Park lets people park in a fairly safe central location and the Hilton Hotel is fine inside. The Bridge has no purpose, no one uses it, it stinks and it's ugly.

And also, there were plans to create a 'Stunning' new entrance to the Interchange, so possibly the knocking down the Bridge has something to do with this?

Anyway, it's gone now:

A physical milestone was reached today in the £24.4 million City Park project to regenerate Bradford city centre.

With yesterday's violent, gusty winds having died down, the Hall Ings footbridge was dismantled like a giant piece of Scalextric this morning.

Chains were wrapped around either side of the 80-tonne middle section of the concrete and metal structure after the beige-coloured safety railings were cut at each end.

Two giant cranes, one positioned at each side of the bridge in Hall Ings, slowly lifted the mid-section, slotting it out from its metal frame.

It was hoisted several metres before it was carefully manoeuvred 90 degrees and lowered with precision onto the back of a waiting flatbed lorry below.

Hall Ings was closed between Bridge Street and Jacobs Well roundabout between 6pm yesterday and 5am tomorrow morning to allow for the work to go ahead.

Low Moor-based demolition firm RA Howard Contractors carried out the operation. It was overseen by built asset consultancy company EC Harris and the mid-section was removed in around 30 minutes.

Officers of Bradford Council’s regeneration team watched on and could not contain their joy as the structure was loaded onto the lorry to be taken away and crushed. Members of the public joined the huddle of onlookers, some filming the moment on their mobile phones.

A watching Barra Mac Ruairi, strategic director of the Council’s department of regeneration, said it was an excellent day for the city.

“We have planned the City Park for a long time and today is one of the most important steps forward. What we are trying to do is make an asset for the city which the City Park will be, but that asset is not what you’d expect in Bradford. It’s better than what you’d expect. It’s the equivalent of what you’d expect from a capital city in a small country in Europe.”

Paul Miller, project manager of EC Harris, said there was no danger of this project stalling.

“We are acutely aware of the situation regarding Westfield and the public’s perception of that,” he said. “We wouldn’t start work unless we know we are in a position to carry on and finish it. Today is a statement of intent.”

It was an emotional day for Richard Kay, 63, of Brighouse, who was the project engineer for West Yorkshire County Council when the Hall Ings footbridge was originally installed in the summer of 1976.

“I’m a little sad I must admit. It’s been part of our family folklore. We have a lot of family in Bradford and they all know it as Richard’s Footbridge, even though I was just a cog in the wheel. As a bridge engineer you like to think your creations are going to last and last but I always felt it was perhaps not as well used as it could have been.

“I’m pleased it’s going as part of this scheme to build a city park.”

Removal work on the remaining ramp access to the bridge by City Hall was set to take place today, while the section attached to the Hilton Hotel will be dismantled when the hotel is less busy.

The City Park scheme is expected to be completed in 2011.

[Dan B]

Some more shots of the demolition today from D40 rambler:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/n1ck1ee...n/pool-bfdalt/



http://www.flickr.com/photos/n1ck1ee...n/pool-bfdalt/



http://www.flickr.com/photos/n1ck1ee...in/pool-bfdalt


Personally I didn't think the bridge was ever the problem, it was more the hideous and urine soaked tunnel that came afterwards. Never encountered any problems here though, actually used the bridge quite a lot. I do feel a modern and up to date bridge without such a tunnel would be quite nice, but I guess that concept is being removed with this demolition now, probably never a bridge on the site again. I will miss the views you got from it, particularly twisting round and looking up at Town Hall or when on the bridge looking in one direction and seeing almost nothing but old Victorian sandstone architecture and the other a vista of modernist concrete constructions. Such a contrast.

[Mezzo]

Was there any need for such hysteria from the council just because a footbridge has been removed? In any other city it would have gone unnoticed.

Officers of Bradford Council’s regeneration team watched on and could not contain their joy as the structure was loaded onto the lorry to be taken away and crushed.

Oh dear. They'll be having orgasms on Prince's Way if the Odeon goes.

A watching Barra Mac Ruairi, strategic director of the Council’s department of regeneration, said it was an excellent day for the city.

“We have planned the City Park for a long time and today is one of the most important steps forward. What we are trying to do is make an asset for the city which the City Park will be, but that asset is not what you’d expect in Bradford. It’s better than what you’d expect. It’s the equivalent of what you’d expect from a capital city in a small country in Europe.”

I'm sorry... what?
That's the most ridiculous, unsubstantiated piece of spin I've heard in a long time. Well done Barra Mac Ruairi

[listerpark]

"It’s the equivalent of what you’d expect from a capital city in a small country in Europe.”

Which capital city did he have in mind? Priština?

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Originally Posted by Mezzo

Was there any need for such hysteria from the council just because a footbridge has been removed? In any other city it would have gone unnoticed.

I'm quite happy for regeneration news to be reported in a way that the public are aware of what is happening. I think if you're in a position like the Council are and not much regeneration is going on, it is only natural for projects to be presented in this way and attempt to improve confidence in the city. So far so good.

[MarkJF]

Originally Posted by *-City Of Bradford-*

it is only natural for projects to be presented in this way and attempt to improve confidence in the city. So far so good.

But the more enlightened folk will view this hyper story with increduility! The only recent council scheme that has been proposed and then actually accomplished is the removal of a hardly used pedestrian footbridge Sorry, it's non-story, 99.9% of people are not interested.

[Mezzo]

Originally Posted by listerpark

Which capital city did he have in mind? Priština?

Originally Posted by MarkJF

But the more enlightened folk will view this hyper story with increduility! The only recent council scheme that has been proposed and then actually accomplished is the removal of a hardly used pedestrian footbridge Sorry, it's non-story, 99.9% of people are not interested.

Absolutely. And just to prove it, there are only 7 reader comments on the T&A website. This is despite the fact they did a War & Peace article, included some hilarious council quotes, and even filed one their shitty video reports.
Nobody appears to care!

Just as an aside, why didn't we ship this surplus-to-requirements bridge off up to Manchester Road?
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u...w___3m_bridge/
A bridge isn't needed there either, but at least we could have saved £3m.
Plus, the council are always telling us to recycle...

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Originally Posted by MarkJF

Sorry, it's non-story, 99.9% of people are not interested.

Well, I know plently of people who are interested in the overall development of the City Park Project rather than just the bridge itself. It's just good to know progress is being made.

Originally Posted by Mezzo

And just to prove it, there are only 7 reader comments on the T&A website.

And? Thats not proof.

Originally Posted by Mezzo

Nobody appears to care!

Let's have it your way, a news blackout.

Originally Posted by Mezzo

Just as an aside, why didn't we ship this surplus-to-requirements bridge off up to Manchester Road?
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u...w___3m_bridge/

Maybe because we don't want another ugly bridge?

Originally Posted by Mezzo

J A bridge isn't needed there either, but at least we could have saved £3m.
Plus, the council are always telling us to recycle...

It is! I know plenty of people who use that Bridge, it's much quicker, safer and convienient for them to use it than walk all the way up to the crossing. A Bridge is much preffered here compared to Hall Ings because it's simply a whole lot busier.

Originally Posted by Mezzo

but at least we could have saved £3m.

It's not the Council paying this, Bradford is effectively getting the Bridge for free.