Warsop Web - notices - Wood Street

Closed for a quarter of a century - Wood Street re-opens
26th March 2004

cutting the ribbon
The cutting of the ribbon to open Wood Street and the first car through for 25 years

reversing back
Driver gets green light and backs out!

Ron sent in this photo of the first car through the newly re-opened junction with the following comment:
How about this? The first time the lights went green the driver selected
reverse. I wonder why?? Fed up of waiting I guess.

What the people say......

The re-opening of the Wood Street entrance to the Royal Estate was a grand affair, especially for 11am on a Friday morning. I doubt whether this one-way, half measure was enough to herald the begining of a new era for the estate. It is adequate for existing number of residents but how will it cope with the proposed numbers in the newly formed community? I see problems for the emergency services and the extensive demolition/ construction traffic which is to come. A newly created community where there are two ways out but only one way in. - Graham Tinker (ex-Royal Estate resident)

I don't want to come across as a party pooper on the Wood Street grand opening day but what is the point of a one way street coming out of the area??? I am told that the full two way road plans were scuppered due to technical problems but surely the one way system should have allowed traffic in not out. The reason for the work was to "open up" wood street to help regenerate the area, all this work has done is provide another escape route to get OUT of the area, what is the point in that??? - Dave (Victor Meldrew) Drury

Yes I agree with 'Warsop resident' it would certainly have made more sense and a much safer option to have the traffic entering Wood Street than exiting from it. - June Boyer

Press Release from Warsop Parish Council - ROAD RE-OPENS IN WARSOP AFTER 25 YEAR CLOSURE Part of a village cut off when a relief road was built more than a quarter of a century ago is at last to be opened up again when a new road junction is opened on 26th March.

Wood Street was closed when the Warsop relief road commenced, diverting traffic away from the shopping centre in 1979. Public concern was expressed then, at what was seen as the segregation of that part of the village from the rest and has continued ever since. Numerous meetings have taken place, a 1,600 signature petition presented, requests to the local authorities from the Parish Council, several funding applications, various campaigns and requests from the Residents' Organisation all in support for the re-opening of Wood Street to relieve deprivation, the feeling of isolation from the rest of the community, empty and vandalised housing, unmade roads and derelict shops.

The latest campaign started in September 2003 by the residents and the Warsop Neighbourhood Management Team raising awareness again of the plight of this now demised area and the need to regenerate the Royal Estate. They obtained £55,000 funding from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, although this was not enough to pay for the project they were still determined to get Wood Street opened and approached Warsop Parish Council to front the bid and make up the shortfall together with SPV/Mansfield District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council. Work commenced in January. And …AT LAST! ON FRIDAY 26th MARCH 2004 at 11am WOOD STREET WILL OPEN

The Chairman of Warsop Parish Council, Mr. Andy Wetton will officially open the road and it is hoped John Mann MP, supporter of this project, will be able to attend. The main contributors and supporters have been invited to this momentous occasion together with local media and it is hoped a good turnout by members of the community.

Do you have a view on the opening of Wood Street? E.mail Warsop Web