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After being closed for 30 years, a key southern gateway into Leeds is set to re-open on Monday, 1 December.
The local community and businesses in Holbeck Urban Village are celebrating this transformed road that leads into the area, with renewed safety elements including a reduced speed limit of 20 mph, by taking part in a snail race on Monday 1 December at 8.30am at Sweet Street.
The snails, which have been given names of leading industrialists from the past, will race in a bid to win prizes from two of the area’s most popular local businesses. The first snail across the line will win for its trainer a smoothie drink each week for a whole year from local juice bar Out of the Woods. Second place will also be hard fought with a Sunday feast at local hostelry the Cross Keys up for grabs. Representatives from local companies such as web design agency Kilo 75, website usability company SimpleUsabilty, recording studios The Old Chapel, media agency All Response Media and estate agents for Granary Wharf, King Sturge will be taking part, with bacon sandwiches supplied by nearby David Street Café to sustain the trainer’s.
Work started on Sweet Street in May 2008 as part of the ongoing regeneration of Holbeck Urban Village. The opening up of public areas and improvement of access between the communities of Holbeck and Beeston with the urban village and Leeds city centre, are fundamental to the ongoing development of the area.
The £600,000 Sweet Street contract, for Leeds City Council, was awarded to North Midland Construction (NMC). Improvements include new 20 mph speed restriction signage; re-opening the highway under the railway bridge; the introduction of a one-way system which will allow better pedestrian access and calm congestion; vehicle activated sign systems to ensure high sided vehicles are warned they cannot access the road ahead; a new turning circle; localised carriage way widening to help vehicles through the restricted area; new cycle paths; footpath improvements using York stone, granite kerbs and improved street lighting.
Councillor Andrew Carter, executive board member responsible for the development of the city centre, commented: “By continuing to invest in the city and improving key roads we are encouraging businesses, visitors and potential residents to make Leeds the first choice when looking for a city centre location. The opening up of Sweet Street ensures that there are no barriers to one of the most historic, and fastest growing, parts of Leeds and that it is accessible and welcoming to everyone.”
Further investment in the neighbourhood is the extensive improvement of Neville Street, due for completion in Spring 2009. This scheme which includes sound reducing panels, specialist lighting schemes and a sound installation to improve the acoustics, aims to transform this important gateway into the city to make travelling through the Neville Street tunnel a better, brighter and safer experience.
David Evans, project manager for Leeds City Council stated “The snail race is a fun way for us to highlight the importance of the reopening of Sweet Street and the new safety measures, in particular the speed reduction and the encouragement of non vehicular traffic, that have been introduced.”
