Work to improve public spaces in Owen Street in Tipton has now finished, delivered through government funding to make a safer, brighter and more convenient town centre.
Sandwell Council has thanked everyone for their patience and understanding during the works and is urging everyone to support Tipton businesses and find out what traders have to offer.
The project has also supported local jobs and careers – with the council’s contractor McPhillips having a local site team and three apprentices gaining hands-on experience working on the Tipton improvements.
Since February, the council and McPhillips have resurfaced roads and pavements, put in new brighter low energy streetlights, moved bus stops and installed new shelters, and provided more pedestrian crossings in the right places. This should help pedestrians and bus passengers feel safer, encouraging more people to visit Tipton town centre to shop there.
The works included reconstructing and resurfacing roads, installing new kerbing and relaying footpaths to a high standard, helping to reduce the need for future maintenance work and disruption. This involved carefully managing traffic and pedestrians, including temporary one-way traffic. All traffic management in Owen Street has now finished and the road is fully back open.
Councillor Ray Nock, Sandwell Council’s Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth, said: “We are committed to supporting jobs and boosting our high streets and town centres.
“Now these works have been completed we encourage people to come along and see what businesses in Tipton have to offer.
“We thank everyone for their patience and understanding during these works. We also thank our contractor McPhillips for working closely with the community in Tipton throughout the project, supporting local jobs and providing valuable apprenticeship opportunities to give real-life industry experience.”
Paul Inions, McPhillips Managing Director, said: “The Owen Street project is a scheme that’s created real opportunity, with three apprentices gaining hands-on experience and a site team drawn entirely from the local area.
“That local benefit, alongside the finished scheme itself, is something we're very proud to have delivered for the people of Tipton and Sandwell Council.”
The public space improvements were funded as part of the wider regeneration project in Tipton town centre, which is supported by £20million of government funding and will also include 70 new and much-needed council homes.
Over the next few months, the council will work in partnership with the owner of Tipton Shopping Centre, Unity Walk, to find ways to improve lighting through the precinct.
The council also plans to thin out or remove overgrown trees and bushes along the canal walkway off Union Street, to make the route safer and more attractive, and to discourage anti-social behaviour.
Photos: Sandwell Council and Be Bold/McPhillips
