Key Stoke-on-Trent gateway gets £1.3m makeover

A key gateway into Stoke-on-Trent’s city centre being given a makeover and made more pedestrian-friendly under a £1.3million scheme.

The changes to Trinity Street will see attractive new paving and benches installed, new street lighting and the road reduced from two lanes down to one to create more space for shoppers and visitors.

The work, which will take place between the pedestrian walkway to Tesco supermarket and the junction with Stafford Street, is being funded by Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.  The improvements got under way at the beginning of August and will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption, with the entire scheme expected to be completed in early spring next year. Existing short-stay parking spaces will remain in place and businesses have been consulted over the proposals.

Trinity Street is the latest area in the city centre to see its public realm revamped in an on-going programme, with a total of £10million-worth of improvements planned. The aim of the work is to support businesses by improving the experience for shoppers and those enjoying leisure activities and encouraging them to spend more time in the city centre.

David Frost CBE, chairman of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, commented: “It is great to see work starting at Trinity Street. This is part of an ambitious programme of improvements around the city which will make it much more attractive and welcoming, more pedestrian-friendly and with improved traffic flows.

“The LEP is very pleased to be working with Stoke-on-Trent City Council on a range of schemes to create an attractive and aspirational city where businesses will want to locate and people will want to live and to visit.”

Councillor Jack Brereton, Stoke-on-Trent City council cabinet member for regeneration, transport and heritage, said: “We want this area to say ‘welcome to Hanley’. Trinity Street is an important gateway to the city centre and this work will vastly improve the look and feel of the area. We want our city centre to be a place where people want to visit and businesses want to invest.

“The work we have already done to improve Piccadilly has resulted in a 30 per cent increase in footfall, which proves just how effective these improvements to the streets and surroundings are in encouraging people into the city centre.

“Trinity Street is one of a number of phases of public realm work transforming the appearance of the main retail area, with improvements to Stafford Street and Crown Bank to follow.”

David Frost and Councillor Brereton are pictured at Trinity Street.