Waterloo Road, Blackpool
The Waterloo Road District Shopping Scheme leads from Blackpool seafront into the town, forming one of the main routes into Blackpool. The Blackpool Borough Council set out to regenerate this area with the express aim of improving its user-friendliness for pedestrians.
In developing the scheme, Jon Stokes, Public Realm Designer decided to use informal traffic calming and reduction techniques, such as courtesy crossing points that allow pedestrians and motorists to negotiate who gives way. In this way motorists are encouraged to be more aware of pedestrians, drive more carefully and not assume they have right of way.
The crossing points needed careful treatment from both a lighting and graphical perspective, so that it would be obvious to motorists what they were.
Aquila was commissioned to provide a solution that would brightly illuminate the road an create emphasis at these points, incorporating an arched bracket over the road to provide a visual cue to motorists.
Aquila Miura lanterns at 6m high generate white light and high colour rendering for good visibility. Dedicated "Zebra" optics are used at the courtesy crossing points, to create high levels of horizontal and vertical illumination for improved safety. The name of the district is
laser cut into the column, for a strong sense of identity, and decorative LEDs have been used in the tails of the bracket arms, providing a visual link to the town's historic Blackpool illuminations.
The council is thrilled with the result, which has achieved the desired aim of making it a safer and more pleasant place for pedestrians.
Project Gallery
