Critics call for “chaos” in Bradford – others praise pedestrian zones

The video tour of the city center, produced by the Telegraph & Argus on October 4, was viewed 94,000 times and sparked more than 1,000 comments, including 987 on Facebook and 79 on the T&A website.

It also sparked 624 Facebook reactions, including 390 thumbs-up emojis, 102 angry faces and 73 laughing faces. Others reacted with shocked emojis, crying faces and the love heart symbol.

Many were skeptical about the cost of the work and the scale of disruption, with some criticizing “poor planning” and “utter chaos”.

Others defended the work, urged critics to reserve judgment until the project was completed, and said, “It’s going to look great.”

Many people believe the work will improve the appearance of the town center but fear the improvements could be overshadowed by other problems such as crime, anti-social behavior and empty shops.

Reader Chris Tee4 said on the T&A website: “Having spent a few hours in the center of Bradford on Thursday evening I can say it looks quite nice, or at least when it’s finished, the problem is that the Centenary Square is so dimly lit and full of teenagers hanging around.” about wearing 20-pound tracksuits and backwards baseball caps like a budget New Kids on the Block tribute act. Where are the police patrols when everything is finished, then these rats don’t look inviting.”

Some of the work was carried out last week (Image: T&A) On the T&A Facebook page, Anthony Cookson said: “The money should have been invested in policing the town center to drive out the street drinkers and spice people. This way people could feel safer in central Bradford and go there before wasting money on pedestrianization if it’s a ghost town.

Denise Sunter raised a point raised by many commentators, saying, “What good are pedestrian streets if there are no pedestrians?”

Sue Mackrill said: “It’s absolutely terrible! I can’t drive or park anywhere! It’s better to go to Halifax.”

Andy Holdsworth replied: “Funnily enough we have friends in Halifax who like coming to Bradford. The grass is always greener, as they say.”

Work at the junction of Hall Ings and Bridge Street (Image: T&A) Pat Sleigh said: “We sometimes visit each other at the weekend and there are always lots of people there. It looks like the work will take some time. However, in the long run it can only be a good thing.”

Vanda Greenwood said: “This is really coming along, it’s looking much better, I can’t wait to see the finished product.”

Saffy Saffron agreed and said: “It looks fantastic. Since the work is still in progress, you have to have a vision to see that the end result will not be brilliant.”

“But the moaning myrtles will moan no matter what.”

Many branded the work a waste of money, but Kevin Wright hit back: “Why is it a waste of money? People always say the center is no longer attractive, they are making it attractive?”

One of the areas that will be planted (Image: T&A)

Fiona Evans said: “I honestly think this is because Bradford City Council has seriously neglected the city center in the past, and particularly over the last 20 or 30 years. People can argue that this wasn’t the case, but they definitely made the city a really sad state.”

“The result of this is that the public doesn’t care about it either (unfairly) because it’s neglected.”

“Now something is being done to improve the city and people are skeptical about what it will bring. Like the Broadway Mall, people were promised all sorts of things, and look what they were left with for years: a pile of dirt and some wooden fences.

“I think the public needs to see good results in a reasonable amount of time and see how beautiful Bradford can really be. Care must also be taken to ensure it is well maintained and kept clean.”

“Once people see this happening, they will have more confidence in ‘progress’.”

Nigel Pogson said: “Tearing everything down, putting concrete over it and calling it a pedestrian zone doesn’t count as an improvement. Not to mention making it attractive!”

Daksha Harkishan Mistry said, “It is too far for elderly and disabled people to walk. Ridiculous. We need more central bus stops.”

New seating will be installed (Image: T&A)

Dora Sofe said: “I agree, but it’s not just that. There is total chaos with the buses as they leave from stops other than those shown. People are confused, the directions are poorly marked and many have asked others where the stops are.” Since most people were now also looking for the bus stops, there was complete chaos.

Jess Louise said: “I’m disabled and I think with less traffic it will be easier and much safer.”

Tracy North said: “It’s a mess for pedestrians. I have seen many elderly and disabled people struggling to walk long distances just to reach a bus stop.”

Liz Austin said: “This worries me for the future. All councils in West Yorkshire are doing exactly the same thing, alienating anyone who is less mobile. Some days it’s difficult to walk 50 metres, these works and things like that in Calderdale make me feel like I might end up a hermit with nowhere to go.”

Chris Virr said: “It will look great but unfortunately it won’t stop the decline in footfall in Bradford city center. With each passing year, more and more people do their shopping online, and with each generation catching up, this will only increase, resulting in even lower footfall in the city center.

“The older generation still like to go to the bank and do a bit of shopping while they’re in the city, but in 10 or 20 years when they’re gone it will be a ghost town, just like Godwin Street and Westgate are now . And of course there is the anti-social behavior which further exacerbates the problem. Bradford City Council not only needs to clean up the streets, but also the people.

Moira Martin said: “If the headline hadn’t said Bradford I wouldn’t have recognized it. Born and raised in Bradford. This work spoiled it.”

Andrew Chilton said: “Cities have changed for a variety of mainly economic reasons…they can still become beautiful and well-visited places…wait and see. No ‘City of Culture’ place in the past began without the usual naysayers and doom-mongers… these places are much better now, so Hull, Glasgow, Liverpool and Coventry have all been vastly improved.

Neil Grooby said: “I just don’t see the point. What was gained?”

Sean Murphy said: Hahahaha. Why should you be against the multi-million pound redevelopment of a dead city center?”

Ali Parkes said: “It was nice to see some of the pedestrian areas completed last week. I could see that they were already overused. Especially when a man pulled down his child’s trousers midway through and made him go to the toilet. “I don’t know why they bother in Bradford.

Hamzah Ansari said: “The final nail in the coffin for Bradford.”

Jo Woodhead said: “I really hope it’s worth it after so much inconvenience.”

James Patterson said: “I hate to think about the crime rate at night when there are no cars, buses around to get help in an emergency, robbers’ paradise on their electric scooters.”

Jane Phaff said: “I can’t wait to see all the hundreds of cyclists using cycle paths.”

Andy Lee said: “Looks great. I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished.”

Mark McCormack called the plan “stupid and ridiculous” while Jennifer Jones lamented a “horrible, soulless wasteland.”

Alex Pearson said; “Oh, stop complaining! It will look wonderful when it’s finished.”

Who said what and when: “Now all they need is shops, customers and pedestrians. If that doesn’t work, people on e-bikes, quads, etc. will have a nice new route to race on.”

Northern Soul said: “One thing is for sure, no one will go anywhere near the place unless they are fools or riffraff. It’s done!”

Kitty Kat said: I’m going there and I’m neither an idiot nor a guy. I am a woman who regularly walks around Bradford without being raped, murdered or robbed every time. I think it will be beautiful when it’s finished