Introduction
As a pedestrian-heavy route through the town centre, work along this street has resulted in the widening of pavements to improve navigation for pedestrians, while at the same reducing traffic to assist with people to feel safer while going about their daily routine.
Key changes
Five key changes to the area are:
- Widened footways along Middle Street and narrowing the carriageway so that users of the town centre have more space to move safely without having to step into the road.
- Raised seating planters, street trees and ornamental planting – Middle Street is one of the main shopping areas of the town centre and to assist with making the street more aesthetically appealing, seating planters, street trees and ornamental drought resistant planting have bene introduced. This has helped to brighten up the area while taking an environmental approach to support land drainage, wildlife habitat and cleaner air.
- Flexible environment – The pavement space that has been created in Middle Street will be able to help facilitate markets and other events. This is important to ensure that we adapt our high streets in the town centre to fit and suit the needs of users and visitors. We want to make Yeovil town centre a place where people can enjoy their experience whatever their requirements.
- Blue Badge Parking – We have provided parking on one side of Middle Street and Union Street adding bays to Peter Street car park to help meet the needs of those individuals with mobility issues.
- Improved street lighting and new bench seating – Improved street lighting in this public realm area will help with decreasing anti-social behaviour by ensuring it is well lit. New bench seating has also provided more areas for town centre users to take a break during shopping and enjoy the atmosphere or the town centre.