The cost of the final phase of the Valley Gardens project, including replacing the Aquarium roundabout with traffic lights, has risen by £5 million, a new report reveals.
Councillors will next week be asked to approve the final plans – and borrowing £5 million to add to the £7.8 million in funding it has already secured.
The report to the next meeting of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee said that there had been significant delays to the scheme since February 2019 – partly because of the covid pandemic – and since then, costs had risen.
The final design was developed after feedback from an eight-week consultation in July 2020 when residents and stakeholders were given the opportunity to comment on detailed aspects of the project.
These included the location of crossings, cycle lanes, footpaths, bus stops, cycle parking, seating, public areas and tree planting.
Phase 3 of the Valley Gardens project will continue and complete the work to regenerate this busy central area, the council said.
An investment of £11 million in Phases 1 and 2 has been credited with transforming the space between St Peter’s Church and the Old Steine.
The changes include the creation of a new events space, the planting of a wildflower meadows and trees and more space set aside for footpaths and cycle paths.
The Phase 3 plan includes
- New separated cycle lanes, linking phases 1 and 2 of Valley Gardens to the seafront
- Improved access for public transport, supporting more reliable journey times
- An extra taxi rank near the Palace Pier junction while retaining two existing ranks
- New obstruction-free pavement design where possible
- New trees and landscaping
- Sustainable outdoor events infrastructure
- Improved lighting around Old Steine Gardens supported by a successful Safer Streets Funding bid
- More parking bays for blue badge holders
- A new junction to replace the existing Aquarium roundabout, in front of the Palace Pier, including direct crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists
- Improved setting around the War Memorial
It is expected work can begin on the project later this year.
Green councillor Steve Davis, co-chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “I’m very excited to see these plans and I can’t wait for work to begin on phase 3.
“It’s really great to see such a good reaction to the beautiful space already completed in Valley Gardens Phases 1 and 2. Phase 3 is the final phase of the project to connect with the seafront with a new, inclusive and sustainable infrastructure which will create a stunning new destination and travel corridor all the way to the Palace Pier.
“It’s great to see that the project has been shaped with the help of city-wide engagement with local residents.
“I’m passionate about the Valley Gardens project. Not only is it supporting better and safer journeys around the city and helping to improve air quality, there are also new trees and lighting and new public squares.
“At the moment this part of our city is divided by traffic and there is a poor collision history, particularly near the Palace Pier roundabout, which we know attracts huge footfall and could be safer. These improvements mean it will be a much better space for our residents and visitors to enjoy.”
The council has already secured £6 million Local Growth Fund (LGF) capital funding from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and committed £1.84 million match funding.
The financing costs will be addressed through the budget-setting process and reported back to Policy and Resources Committee in February.
Valley Gardens is the name given to the green spaces that run from St Peter’s Church to the seafront.
The council’s vision for Valley Gardens is to enhance the area’s green spaces and create new public spaces for people to spend time in, which will be linked together to create a single continuous public park.
Simplifying the surrounding road layout and creating dedicated and connected walking and cycling routes will make travelling around the area safe and accessible for residents, commuters and visitors.
The first two phases of the Valley Gardens project, which were completed in September 2020 at a cost of £11 million, have revamped the open spaces and transport corridors between St Peter’s Church and Old Steine, including new cycle lanes, priority lanes for public transport and landscaped spaces.
Last year, it was nominated for a Major Project Award at the UK Highways Awards 2021.
This was predictable. It was a dog’s dinner to start with, and it’s hard to believe the end results will justify a colossal waste of taxpayer money.
The traffic light junction will only intensify any congestion, adding to the fumes and lowering the air quality unnecessarily.
Whether we like it or not, the A259 is a main road and a key through route. The Bypass is just not suitable for all traffic, some of which starts or ends in the City, including the growing number of supermarket and online shopping deliveries which undermine local trade, local businesses and local jobs.
The rationale for this project has always seemed to be, the Government wants to spend money to get the economy going again, let’s spend it by digging up some roads, even though it will make things worse for residents, pedestrians, those with mobility problems, bus and taxi passengers, and visitors.
It’s a scandal, and a sign of just how lazy and corrupt this council really is.
The Greens are just hell bent on clogging up the roads and increasing air pollution to justify a ULEZ charge, we know it and they know it.
They just punish the hard working tax payers of our city.
Why did they not put gauze down where grass can grow through where events are held. The Christmas market although good left a total mess.
So … who will shoulder the blame when it all goes pear shaped ? The Greens ? The Councillors ? The anonymous project managers / officers in the Transport Dept ?
Asking for 10s of thousand of residents / taxpayers / businesses in ‘our city’
looks like a desert.
Let’s be honest this mess has nothing to do with making it a better environment for the public and more to do with trying to drive cars out and bow to allow more transport for college students and the university which the council bed over backwards to pay for at the publics expense