Proposals published for improving transport, travel and public spaces in Ludlow

Proposals for improving transport, travel and public spaces in Ludlow have today (Monday 12 February 2024) been published, with local residents and businesses encouraged to comment on which of the ideas they would like to see progressed – if funding becomes available.

Click here to see the proposals and submit comments.

The proposals include improvements to public spaces, walking and cycling infrastructure, bus connections, and wayfinding. Further details of the proposals can be found on the Shropshire Council website, where comments can be left until Sunday 3 March.

The key proposals for Ludlow include:

• Galdeford Masterplan – A number of complementary schemes which will provide an improved pedestrian experience and enhanced gateway into the Ludlow town centre
• Bull Ring – Public space improvements and improved pedestrian priority crossings
• Tower Street – Pedestrian gateway, public space improvements and time-restricted loading
• King Street – Public space and streetscape improvements
• Broad Street – Streetscape improvements to provide a more welcoming and prioritised environment for pedestrians
• Castle Square – A series of schemes to enhance Castle Square and prioritise pedestrian movements
• Wayfinding Trail – To support enhanced pedestrian movements around the town.

See below for more information.

These opportunities have been identified through extensive data analysis, site assessments and engagement with council officers and key stakeholders to ensure they align with the council’s climate programme and commitments.

To secure funding, any proposals first need to have public backing. Shropshire Council is therefore asking people for their thoughts on these initial ideas – and to suggest any of their own – before any further work is carried out to develop the schemes.

People can comment on the proposals on the council website until Sunday 3 March. A drop-in engagement event is at Ludlow Assembly Rooms on Friday 16 February between 10am and 4pm.

The feedback and comments received through this public engagement exercise will help to inform how the proposed schemes are progressed. The feedback will be reviewed and incorporated in a final Ludlow Future Transport and Movement Plan which will be released publicly in Spring 2024.

To provide feedback on the schemes proposed as part of the Ludlow Future Transport and Movement Plan click here.

Dan Morris, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways, said:

“This is very much an emerging list of projects for Ludlow that could be carried out in the coming months and years, if there is public support, and if funding can be secured. We hope it’s a list that will grab people’s attention and generate debate and discussion. It’s exciting to be able to put these ideas on the table and ask local people what they think.

“This exercise demonstrates that the council is working hard on ways to improve transport, and access investment, in Ludlow, as well in many other towns across the county.”

The outcomes of this public engagement exercise will be critical for helping to develop a ‘future connectivity plan’ for Ludlow.

Further information

Note: the below images can be downloaded from Shropshire Council’s Flickr.

Galdeford Masterplan

Galdeford Masterplan will deliver a number of complementary schemes which will provide an improved pedestrian experience and enhanced gateway into the Ludlow town centre. Pedestrian improvements around Ludlow Railway Station will help to enhance the arrival experience into the town and improved wayfinding will guide visitors from the station area into the town centre.

The scheme will also improve the existing Galdeford Car Park area by consolidating existing spaces through the implementation of a ‘green’ decked parking structure. The space made available through the consolidation of car parking at Galdeford will be considered for the delivery of a multi-modal transport hub which will support seamless journeys from public transport to other sustainable modes such as walking and cycling.

Bull Ring

Bull Ring option 1

Bull Ring option 2

This scheme will deliver public space improvements and pedestrian priority crossings along Bull Ring to support safer pedestrian movements into the town centre. These improvements will reduce traffic speeds to create a more welcoming environment for pedestrians on one of the gateways into the town centre. An option to deliver a segregated cycleway along Bull Ring has also been explored as part of the proposals.

Tower Street

To create a pedestrian gateway into the town centre, public space improvements and time restricted loading is proposed for Tower Street. The public space improvements would include footway widening and enhanced surfacing of the street to create a sense of pedestrian priority. This would be supported by improved wayfinding and signage into the town centre and new planting and vegetation.

King Street

Public space improvements are proposed for King Street to reduce vehicular traffic speeds and to prioritise pedestrian movements on a key shopping street in Ludlow. These improvements include an enhanced crossing point at the junction of King Street, Tower Street and Old Street in the form of a raised table, carriageway and footway surfacing and the installation of new planters and vegetation along the street.

Broad Street

To provide a more welcoming and prioritised environment for pedestrians and to reduce vehicular speeds, streetscape improvements are proposed for Broad Street. These include the installation of a raised table at the junction of Broad Street and High Street to support safer pedestrian movements in the heart of the town centre alongside carriageway and footway resurfacing along Broad Street to create a sense of pedestrian priority.

Castle Square

Castle Square is the key focal point in Ludlow town centre. To enhance this space and prioritise pedestrian movements, a series of public space schemes are proposed. These schemes include the installation of a raised table between High Street and Castle Street, carriageway and footway resurfacing and the installation of greenery and vegetation on Castle Square and Castle Street to reduce vehicular speeds in the heart of the town centre.

Wayfinding Trail

Improved wayfinding is needed in Ludlow to support enhanced pedestrian movements around the town. To achieve this high quality signage at key entry points into the town centre such as Ludlow Railway Station, Galdeford Car Park and Dinham need to be installed. To support this a permanent wayfinding trail which guides visitors around the town would be beneficial to enhance pedestrian movements around Ludlow.