New St Augustine's one-way system, Norwich

[Woolymatt]

The new one way system around St. Augustine's is a great improvement in my opinion. For those complaining about the lack of parking, there is ample limited parking on Sussex Street. I usually park there when I nip into Anglia Square.

Speaking of which, I hope that Anglia Sq. gets redeveloped soon!

[dominion1976]

So, it is almost complete now, and i have to say that it is not that great in many ways. Bakers Road is now closed off to St Augustines, Magpie Road is cut off into one way in the middle and access to Waterloo Road is none existent at this end. There has been no decent crossing while the work was carried out, with people having to risk life and limb to cross. The blind at the local centre came across problems getting around. As for lack of decent business, more have suffered due to this system!

[Darkgoblin11]

Is this definitely how it is going to look? does anyone know for sure if this is up to date information?

[rockinrobinsuk]

Do you like or not

[RossPatzelt]

Brilliant video. I never knew it was all changed round that way so I will have to remember that now!

[redsteepler]

St Augustine's Community Together Residents' Association (ACT) will be holding a public meeting in St Augustine's Hall (through churchyard behind old church off St Augustine's Street) on Thursday 15 April at 7.30 p.m. Engineers from Norfolk County Council's Transportation & Planning Team will be on hand to provide an update on the construction of the St Augustine's Gyratory and to answer any questions you may have. All welcome. Free.

[redsteepler]

I'm sure that when we were shown the plans for the gyratory at a community meeting a couple of years ago that there was going to be a pull-in place near Coleman Opticians. Perhaps the County Council could respond here as to whether this is still in the plan.

[NorfolkCountyCouncil]

There will be a loading bay near the opticians. It can be used for unloading or loading for commercial or domestic purposes (eg furniture delivery), but not for parking - and stopping to buy a pizza will not count as loading! However, dropping off or picking up a passenger will be fine.

[helenofnorwich]

nice video, shows how it will look but I agree a voice over would help.

Not sure how faster traffic will help the shops along St Augustine's Street. Wider pavements encourage walking I agree but people like to be able to pull in and park to use shops on the way home.

[redsteepler]

The old butchers shop is currently subject to a planning application to convert it into a flat. Many of the shops that have ceased trading in St. Augustine's Street in recent years have become pokey, little ground-floor flats, which contribute nothing to the vernacular architectural heritage of the area and make it even harder for the traders left to attract customers. Some might say that's just hard economics, others might argue the City Council could have been more supportive of small traders.

[SoulsElxiir]

resident on Bakers Road for over 5 years, more than happy it's getting closed off and stopped being used a ratrun, and finally putting pedestrian crossing lights near Spa, where there is never a moment to cross, it's just a case of dodging traffic

[redsteepler]

The DVD cannot have been "stolen" from Google Street View as stated below for two very good reasons. 1. Google's Street View of Norwich did not go live until March 2009 and this DVD was published in April 2008. I know, because I saw it then at a community meeting in St Augustine's Hall and still have a copy. 2. Many of the buildings, road junctions etc in the film do not yet exist!

[typejunky]

it's mapped onto a 3D model from photographs. trust me, I sit next to a bloke that used to be an architect.

[ArronPro]

At this time anything is a vast improvement!

[marksoutof10]

They ought to do SOMETHING with St Augustine's - the whole street has been a bloody eyesore for years. I still have my doubts about the proposed redevelopment of Anglia Square - It wasn't exactly the envisioned urban paradise the first time around, unless you're a pigeon.

[sophiejosling]

Luscious Locks

A well produced video. Gives you a good representation of how things will shape up. I wonder if this system will be able to cope with all the traffic though? Time will tell!

[typejunky]

I put some Four Tet on and watched this for over 7 hours last night.

I do wonder if it might not be better to just put the city wall back in and then charge all the furriners to come and goo sharpin'

[SoulsElxiir]

like your style...

[redsteepler]

I think the guy crossing the road at Pitt Street is carrying a snooker cue case. The CG was based on a real video. Note how it even reproduces the boarded-up shops in St Augustine's Street. In think that red car at the start used to belong to my next door neighbour!

[t1sutton]

It's because it was "stolen" from Google Maps Street View! That' why you can see all of the shops including the boarded-up shops. Whoever created this video should have credited Google Maps...

[cowpatman]

Looks good to me, as there's very little traffic and all the traffic lights are green. Is it my imagination, or is the guy crossing the road at Pitt Street brandishing a baseball bat or other blunt instrument?

[nuttyboi2k7]

We're in a recession.... yet you can afford this! how rediculous!

[tommyvercetti7]

Recession is the perfect time for infrastructure improvements I think. Provides much needed jobs and the infrastructure will need to be in place before the new Anglia Square development finally starts.

[marksoutof10]

Ridiculous.

[Boddney]

This looks like a really good plan but it will still be very congested. This city's road system was not designed for all the traffic that is about to converge on it from all these 1000's of home being built in the suburbs. Don't forget each home has at least 2 cars. Norwich still needs a full northern by-pass from Postwick to Easton. That is the only solution to the traffic problems along with more park and rides. Great idea to inform us of what is going on though and nice video. Thanks Council.

[typejunky]

Curiously soothing I may just drive round and round in circles for days when it's finished. I'm liking the whole plan generally, lived Northside for 20-ish years, it's about time something positive was done. Can't wait to see Anglia Square/Sovereign and Gildengate house disappear, It's never going to be Covent Garden, but anything has to be better than its current incarnation.

[brianrobsonrankin]

As nice as this video makes the area look, isn't it true that the whole area of Magdalen Street/ St Augustines etc has been steadily dying since the 60's and the misjudged Anglia Square ?. As extreme as it might seem, might it not be better to clear the whole area and start again?. I remember as a kid in the 60's that before Anglia Square was built, there was a whole variety of shops with many of the big names represented and that it was not necessary to go "Up the City" to buy what was needed.

[dominion1976]

A good informative video that finally makes sense of the changes that are going to take place. St Augustines will be markedly improved by a 1 way system and it will be easier for pedestrians to get across now. Think the greenery will really compliment the area. Just need to get some decent businessess to open on St Augustines to really improve the area.

[fishminimus]

There are already many decent businesses on the street. Amongst the established traders Coleman Opticians have been providing eyecare for over 65 years. Trend Hairdressers have a history of over 60 years. Barry Hairdresser also have a long history on the street. Dave Berkshire is well known for his motor cycle shop. Love will provide you evening and wedding dress requirements. Styx tatooist have a fine reputation. Come and have a look -ayou might be surprised.

[typejunky]

I know one of the ones you mention is on the move though, It's a pity really, it was only 20 years ago, the street had a butchers (The Sausage shop?), a bakery, a fishmongers (Chettleburghs), and a general store, plus the fantastic Oxburys, and Sainsburys in the square, I can't see it going back to being like that. perhaps a few Compulsory Purchase Orders on a few derelict properties might help.

[mattyncfc91]

Is there going to be time given on the trafic light system at the st augustine gate junction, for trafic from Waterloo Road to turn onto the one way system. If there is not I can see more trafic using Starling Road as a cut through. There may also be a build up of traffic use on Buxton Road, with the problem of there being no right turn onto Aylsham Road.

[mikem0st]

I think the video is good. I know the area, have lived nearby in the passed and i think its money well spent to give people an accurate idea of how it will all work. The current pavements are very narrow so hopefully the new wider ones should encourage more footfall to the businesses. I hope the lights are not on timers, just buttons... that should keep the traffic flowing....

[liqueurband]

I live around a mile from this project and can recognise everywhere fine , and am very grateful to see how it's all going to pan out . I am a little concerned about the driver of the red car's wellbeing at 01:50 though .

[NorfolkCountyCouncil]

Thanks for comments. Video was for last year's consultation, so is part of £3.3m overall cost.

No room for a contra-flow cycle lane in St Aug Street, but cyclists well catered for along Edward Street and new link road. Buses heading north for Aylsham Road will leave Magdalen Street and go via new link and St Augustines. Giant lobster robots banned, so not shown on video.

[chrisovel]

Giant lobster robots?

[BF2006falcon]

read the info people, I've been out of Norwich for 8years, and I know which roads they are.

[ChokingHorror]

So Magpie Road is one way so where will the various buses which go t'other way be redirected? There was talk of bus access for the new Anglia Square or Calvert Square if they really must call it that. Apart from that, the video needed some more special effects, like a giant lobster robot smashing buildings into the ground, running people being evaporated and a soothing narrator...

[CalamityKessel]

This is barely recognisable as part of Norwich because they've added greenery that doesn't exist, including making pavements look green! It took a lot of imagination for me to recognise the place, and I do wonder what the point is of spending money on producing such a video.

[redsteepler]

There will be new, wider pavements on both sides of St Augustine's Street. Rather than go all the way round Magpie Road to the Edward Street cyclepath, cyclists heading south into the city will be tempted to use these. Walking down here will then be like being in the Pamplona bull run!

[lovejoy62]

I understand fully this film. A few thoughts though will traffic try to turn right from Sussex Street into St Augustine one way? No cycle lane from Magdalen Rd to Botolph Street/Pitt Street? Lovely fast lanes for speeding? Will the lights be timed OK or will they cause the hold up at St Augustine/Aylsham Rd junction? Will cars use right hand lane and push in at last minute at St Augustine/Aylsham Road Junction?

[MrLinespeter]

How much did this video cost? most competent drivers will cope just fine it will be older drivers that have the problem and most of them do not own a pc let alone how to look at videos!!

[wild1952]

TITLE: St Augustnes. Therefore start at the roundabout at the end of Duke Street, Pitt Street, St Augustines, right hand lane opposite where the pool used to be; bear right into Magpie road (now also one way), bear right again into Edward Street, continue on new road through old car-park to rejoin Pitt street. bear left to get back to roundabout, right up St Augustines. How difficult is that? It's >10 years since I worked there. Not rocket science

[cantleysugar]

I've lived in Norwich all my life and I'm confused. Are they driving a new road over the Botolph Street NCP car park? Are they knocking down Sovereign House?

[jonfreeman01]

Yes to the first question and, if Sovereign House is the large building which has been empty for 20 years with all the graffiti and the spiral staircase (at the flyover end) next to the rough surface carpark, yes to the second question as well. However, i guess that the road changes would not be contingent on the demolition of Sovereign house and could be completed before it.

[jonfreeman01]

Normally i think most road changes are step towards more congestion and making it more difficult to drive anywhere. However, using these roads regularly i think this does seem to make a lot of sense. Personally i think it is obvious which roads are which. In the first two thirds of the video much of the architecture is unchanged and faithfully rendered. In the last third of the video it is all new so obviously it will not be recognizable.

[ethering]

Nice graphics, terrible (non-existent!) description. I've lived in Norwich for about 15 years and have no idea which roads are represented by this video. It needs a voice-over describing the route that is being taken in the video, or better still, some indication on the video (e.g. some captioning) to show the current location on the route.

[brianrobsonrankin]

It is amazing how big and clean you have managed to make this area seem, not at all like the truth. Still, something had to be done, no matter how fanciful this Video seems.