Major Changes
At last some real money is going to be directed towards Arnold Circus by the Council. Click here to find out more and how you can contribute.
The capital work will be determined and undertaken by the Council, though it will use the 2005 feasibility report by CBA Consultancy as a jumping off point. That outlined four possible options:
Option 1 – The Bottom Line
‘The gardens are generally in poor condition and require conservation and upgrading works.’
Tidy up the site – replace pedestrian barriers, repair the steps, restore the bandstand, put in discreet lighting, add seating, improve access and replant.
Option 2 – Add Disabled Access
Like Option 1, but also install a new ramp for disabled people, buggies and so on. This would remove some of the existing flower beds and would change the look of Arnold Circus. And the gradient might not satisfy official stipulations.
Option 3 – New Ground Level Gardens
No ramp, but close off the streets on the NE side and plant a ground level garden where the road is now, so that people who don’t want to climb the steps have a garden to sit in.
Option 4 – Chairlift
Install a chairlift or even a funicular to the side of the steps for people who can’t walk up them. This is a whacky idea and very expensive. Would it be open to vandalism?
There will be other options and needs – access to water, for instance, for gardening, and seating. Options, sustainability and needs are being explored by the team drawing up the ACCS – Arnold Circus Conservation Strategy – who are hard at work right now. Set up by the Friends to complement the Council’s own consultation, it wants to find out how you feel about Arnold Circus, its long-term upkeep and future. This is a crucial chance to be involved. Find out how, who and when.
Might the changes mean the end of the bus? In the meantime, the regular rumbling presence of the 78 - totally empty for most of the time – is likely to be joined by another one – the 42 – that will also use the Circus as its handy turning point, regardless.
We do not believe that the 78 bus that has been re-routed so that it uses Arnold Circus as a regular turning roundabout (or any bus) adds to the safety and the serenity of the Circus. Transport for London and our GLA Member, John Biggs, continue to look into other options. It needs to be part of any future planning for Arnold Circus.
