'Tarmac cowpats' removed from Cheltenham town centre
Authorities say it's part of a "transformation" effort
Highways workers have been working to improve the Promenade in Cheltenham this week.
Slabs outside Cavendish House were being removed yesterday and a large “tarmac cowpat” was being drilled out near Imperial Circus.
Cheltenham Civic Society believes the work is a “prompt and constructive response” to the legal notice they issued to the authority last month over the “dire state” of the town centre.
But Gloucestershire County Council say the works are part of their “exciting” highways transformation efforts to improve the town centre which they claim have been planned for months.
Civic Society Chair Andrew Booton said: “Cheltenham Civic Society welcomes Gloucestershire County Council’s constructive and prompt response to our Section 56 notice, and their evident determination to address the problems quickly and fully.
“The Promenade is one of Cheltenham’s most prestigious streets. It acts as a social and economic barometer for the town, so its degradation in recent years has been an embarrassment.
“We look forward to its beautiful York stone paving being properly reinstated and its former glory being restored and protected from future damage.”
A spokesperson for Gloucestershire County Council said they have already carried out work on other streets such as Regent Street and High Street to provide replacement slabs for areas filled in with asphalt.
“They also say they will ensure any planned works, including those by utility firms, will not be allowed to go ahead until they show they have the correct replacement paving slabs in store.
“Thanks to our exciting Highways Transformation programme efforts to improve Cheltenham centre have been planned for several months to provide replacement slabs where tarmac had been used as a temporary fix to the road surface,” a spokesperson said.
“We have already carried out work on Regent Street and High Street, in Cheltenham, to provide replacement slabs as we had the materials required ready. The specialist nature of the slabs for the Promenade slabs meant there was a delay in stocking them, which meant this work was completed last of the three sites.
“In addition, we will be ensuring any planned works, including those by utility companies, will not be allowed to go ahead until the contractor has shown they have the correct replacement paving slabs in store.”