Fears for City fans' safety as stadium crossing is ruled out

7:10am Wednesday 11th February 2009

By Lucy Tatchell

FOOTBALL fans will have to cross a dual-carriageway and dodge traffic travelling at 70mph to reach Worcester’s proposed new stadium.

Despite being alongside the busy bypass, no crossing is proposed for the new stadium, which will house Worcester City Football Club.

A pedestrian bridge over Nunnery Way has been deemed too expensive by developers and was not recommended by police on safety grounds.

Crossings, controlled by traffic lights, have also been ruled out by Worcestershire County Council as they would interrupt the flow of the road, which is subject to the national speed limit of 70mph.

Warndon parish councillor Ted Holloway raised concerns about the plans at a recent parish council meeting.

He said: “On match day where are all the people going to cross Nunnery Way? There are going to be bodies flying through the air. It is a prescription for mayhem.”

He also expressed concerns about car parking provision – the proposal has enough spaces for 220 cars - and vehicular access from the site.

Plans submitted to Worcester City Council are for a 6,000 capacity stadium (2,000 seats and 4,000 standing) with offices, off Nunnery Way.

There is also outline planning permission sought for a hotel, restaurant and three car showrooms as well as one for motorcycles on the site.

Vehicles will access the site off Nunnery Way and there will be a small slip-road for cars to get back on to the dual carriageway.

A survey showed one in four Worcester City fans travel to home games on foot. With this in mind, developers St Modwen propose a set of criteria aimed at encouraging walking and cycling and the promotion of public transport.

These include footpaths along both sides of the carriageway, numerous entry points into the stadium site and uncontrolled crossings at the roundabouts.

Alan Coleman, the city council’s senior planning officer, said pedestrian and vehicle access is a key part of the proposal.

“They are one of the principal considerations of the application that will be looked at very carefully in full consultation with the highways department,” he said.

He revealed that planning officers had wanted a footbridge over the dual carriageway and suggested it could become the principal issue between the two parties.

“We were actively promoting this and it was ruled out by the applicant on cost grounds,” he said.

Julie Rossiter, senior asset manager at St. Modwen said: “We carefully considered the option of including a footbridge and took advice from the police who strongly recommended that we did not include this as part of our proposals.

“From experience they felt that people may not use it and it could therefore turn into a highways safety issue."

She added the application was submitted after detailed discussions with the Highways Authority and proposals included safe access.

“As a result, we are suggesting that an existing bridleway links up with a permissive route along the A4440 and into the Countryside Centre,” she said.

“From here, the route will join with an existing footpath through Swinesherd and into Nunnery Way - this has all been designed to enhance and improve upon the current connections to the site.”

When asked if Worcestershire County Council would consider lowering the speed limit, a spokesman said:"We have recently received the planning application from Worcester City Council. We will be looking at the application over the coming weeks so are unable at this stage to comment further."