i think Stratford needs to think what it can be, not hanker after some utopia of being the best in the world. It's all well and good trotting out WCS but what does that mean. World class - Paris? Dubai? Sydney? It's not going to be that - it's a small market town. But it does have the benefit of being at the heart of the second largest tourist destination in the UK. That's a pretty good head start and a hell of a platform. I think they should start with something achievable. How about the Cultural and Retail Centre of the Midlands? Then we need to hire a professional experienced team who can execute it rather than try and bumble through with good intention and well meaning inexperienced amateurs. oh, and I agree - get rid of all the traffic wardens. There's hundreds of them. It's an embarrassment.
Gavin

I remember years ago when they blocked off High Street for a trial pedestrian run. It was excellent but nothing came of it.
Does anyone know what happened to the other trial run, this time of the electric bus, must have been nearly 10 years ago?

HI Abbie, nice to see you on your Bi-annual visit. :)

It's funny you should mention the stuff about weedy trees Abbie, look at World Class (ahem) Stratford's vision for Bridge Street. :)

[img]http://www.worldclassstratford.net/images/BridgeStreet72RGB.jpg[/img]

The thing is, I don't want to sound like I'm just deliberately objecting to everything WCS does, but seriously, what is World Class about this? :(

Hi, time for my bi-yearly posts. :D

I think pedestrianising Bridge street would be wonderful. It's something the council has wanted to do for a very long time now, I can remember the proposed plans in the Herald a long time ago. The question is of course, just how badly would it mess up the traffic system in Stratford? Most people would probably go up Sheep street, which is tight to get down at the best of time when cars are parked on both sides of the road. I'm sure some radical reorganising of the traffic flow might help. Oh and the much discussed second Park and Ride south of Stratford.

Or let's go even more crazy here, let's spend a shed load of money on a 'World Class' (urgh) public transport scheme. Something that is so efficient, reliable, and regular, that it shows the rest of the country that out-of-city towns can have good public transport, which is good enough for everyone to use!

Getting back to Bridge Street, I'd like to see some great big trees planted in two rows down the middle - no weedy little things Will! Then I can imagine little outdoor cafes with a few tables and chairs scattered around the place. Some market stalls here and there, and all the usual European Street scene cliches.

OK, see you in 6 months if not sooner. :D

' Ted, please enjoy being here. ' It is a great place to 'air' thoughts and ideas. I mean no harm. It would be good to draw a ' truce ' start again. (PEEPS Have I offended you?) All answers etc, by etc etc etc :clapping:

[quote]Just for once let's try to put our heads together and imagine it's in our power to improve Stratford. Let's imagine that all the present Great & Good have died of a form of plague that only affected Stratford District Council, Stratford Town Council and the members of World Class Stratford (their form of the disease included pustular boils) and there are only the members of this forum left to make decisions...What would we do to improve Stratford?[/quote]

You will find that even though some things are said in jest there is a point in them. The point being - from my perspective - part of improving a place is keeping it clean, tidy and law abiding. The jest in the stocks - again, from my perspective - is to suggest a better deterrant than the current slap on the wrist or sweeping under the mat of offences.

Ted, please enjoy being here. Every member is different, we all have different personalities and different ways of expressing ourselves and just because a response isn't made in plain English, leaving no room for interpretating any other way does not mean that there is no genuine meaning expressed in the comment and certainly not meant to insult anyone's intelligence.

Oh Dear, I am/ we are (Not meaning to speak for others but I speak as I find) all friendly, positive people. No gangland mindset as far as I'm aware; leave that to the Council peeps. :)

Blimey. This is gettling a little like taking on members of a gang. It was only an honest question asking for honest (and sensible) answers and I'm accused of being 'Unbritish'. What sort of nationalistic site is this? I surrender. :help: n (plus three verses of God save the Queen).

No offence, but you're not exactly 'thinking positively' there Ted. As I said before, discussing some of the ideas a bit further, or suggesting a few more might be a good idea.

Ah well, that's the end of that then.

' I was actually only rubbishing the stock comments.' Ted de Stratford, This is a very negative way of responding. Short sighted actually! Narrow even, unBritish in spirit perhaps, You have missed the point and the flavour. :(

That's interesting Will. My fault. I was actually only rubbishing the stock comments. I should have made it clear. :eek:

All my points are serious, even the thoughts put jokingly have a serious point behind them. I suppose one idea might be to respond to a few of them, instead of just rubbishing them all because of the jovial manner.

This is by no means a complaint but isn't it interesting...I ask a serious question about what solutions one could offer about improving Stratford and apart from one or two sensible thoughts - zilch.
Maybe everything is actually OK. Maybe there aren't any fresh ideas. Maybe all the past Stratford bashing (guilty your honour) is just something that the 'British' undertake with all the passion of a national sport, of maybe no-one actually cares? :o

Those in the stocks could be tasked with the job of cleaning up as well and if they don't do a proper job of it then they spend another day in the stocks....

Bring back stocks to most of Britain's Towns. That's what I say. Thuggery and bullishness would quickly be managed and may even be gone- tomatoes and other soft fruit and missiles as amo of course. :clapping: Public naming and shaming. Don't think it's PC though. :(