Disruption as section of Gosford Street closes for a month

Yet more roadworks are on their way to Coventry city centre with the news that part of Gosford Street is to close for four weeks.



A section of the road will be closed off to drivers from this Sunday until September 19 while work is carried out to improve pedestrian access, widen roads and also change the entry and exit points to Gosford Street and Grove Street car parks.

The closure will be in force from the entrance to Gosford Street car park to just before the main entrance to Coventry University’s multi-storey car park.

Diversions will be in place taking motorists along the Ring Road, Jordan Well and Little Park Street.

The project to improve Gosford Street began earlier this month with the closure of the car park, which will reopen in September with a temporarily reduced capacity.

The closure of the road is required for the final stage of the improvements, which includes the resurfacing of Gosford Street and cleaning and minor repairs to the Ring Road overhead.

Roadworks are currently commonplace in the city centre with traffic already being diverted as work is carried out in Corporation Street and Upper Well Street.

And this week also saw the start of a 16-week project in Fairfax Street and the area around Whittle Arch to change the road layout and create wider footpaths.

£5million improvements to area linking Gosford Street and Coventry University get festive opening



A major new improvement project in the centre of Coventry has been given a seasonal opening.

The nine-month £5million programme has transformed the area between Gosford Street through to the Coventry University Engineering and Computing Building and the old Whitefriars Monastery.

A new spine walkway has been created complete with seating areas, new lighting and an enlarged and improved pond.

It has been designed to also improve safety and will incorporate new entrances to the city council’s car-parks, additional lighting and full CCTV coverage.

The project, funded by the university and the European Regional Development Fund, and managed by the council, has been finished on time and on budget.

And it was given a festive opening complete with carols from the Pattison College choir and free mince pies for people using the new space.

David Soutter, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources) of Coventry University, said the project had totally transformed the area.

“This work has totally transformed this area of the city and the University campus,” he said.

“There had been a lot of development in the area, but with Gosford Street and the elevated ring road and the car-parks it needed some radical work.

“This scheme has changed it beyond all recognition and is now the perfect environment for everyone who uses it. Not only is it a very pleasant space to spend time in, but it forms a perfect link between key parts of the university and the city.

“The council and the University have invested heavily in the public realm in recent years and that, combined with the insistence that all projects should be of the highest quality, is making a telling difference to the city centre.”

Balfour Beatty undertook the nine-month project which was finished off with a planting of a tree by Coventry’s Lord Mayor Coun Michael Hammon.

Coun Rachel Lancaster, Cabinet Member for Public Services, said: “I’m delighted with how this work has gone. We have created a wonderful new connection between Gosford Street and our wonderful historic Whitefriars as well as the university’s engineering and computing building.”

Rebbonk's favourite councillor!

Rebbonk's favourite councillor!

She's about as much use as a chocolate fireguard and twice as effective! Still, at least she doesn't seem to have screwed this one up.

Now, there's a picture of our Lord Mayor. I wonder how many actually knew his name or what he looked like?