Highly-anticipated road connecting Telford train station and shopping centre for pedestrians reopens

The road at Lawn Central, designed to boost accessibility to Telford town centre for pedestrians, is now open, Telford and Wrekin Council has confirmed. 

The council said they have been working with Balfour Beatty and their local contractor McPhillips Wellington Limited to deliver improvements at Station Quarter to connect the train station and Telford shopping centre on Ironmasters Way, through the Lawn Central junction.

Pedestrians can expect a feature ramp, amphitheatre seating area and steps, which covers the sloped area between Lawn Central and the town centre. 

It comes after the “ageing” Darby House footbridge was demolished last summer during the first phase of the project. 

In a video published on the council’s Facebook page, engineer Matt Day said the footbridge had to be removed due to "ongoing maintenance issues with the structure” and “certain elements that had reached the end of their design life”. 

Mr Day added: “Extensive work has been carried out to the embankment, which we have had to reprofile the slope and bring in about 1,500 tonnes of stone and compacted them to make the new feature ramp. 

“The new pedestrian access has been designed to meet all accessibility requirements. 

“Improvements have also been made to Lawn Central - there’s been the installation of a new pedestrian crossing.” 

Around 4,000 plants have been added to the refurbished area too, which included 25 different species. 

This is one just project of many Telford and Wrekin Council have planned for Station Quarter, designed to “transform the [town] into a quality environment for the people who live, work and learn in Telford.”