Bath & North East Somerset Council is to install new wayfinding columns in the centre of Bath to help local people and visitors find their way easily around the city.
The new signage will be installed in Union Street and High Street, adjacent to the entrances to The Corridor and Northumberland Place.
The signage is being piloted following a request for improvements by stakeholders following a review of the system last year.
New column features include:
- A taller slender design that integrates with the existing wayfinding system suite;
- Highly visible quick reference directions at the top of the column to aid navigation.
- A large scale local area map to highlight nearby attractions and encourage people to wander off the main shopping routes, to explore and experience the hidden streets and the alleyways of the city;
- Categorised local listings to help visitor choices;
- Local interpretation and information to inspire visitors to explore;
- A website link for further visitor information.
The Council will welcome feedback on the new columns from 1st August to 30th September via an online questionnaire at www.bathnes.gov.uk by selecting the link to the Consultations page.
Councillor Paul Myers (Conservative, Midsomer Norton Redfield) Cabinet Member for Economic and Community Regeneration, added: “This wayfinding pilot has been funded and delivered in partnership with the owners of The Corridor and Bath Business Improvement District.
“I am pleased that we have been able to begin to implement the recommendations made in the review of the City Information System within a year of its publication. We hope the changes will improve the overall experience of visiting the city and increase footfall.
“As well as working with businesses to make Bath city centre streets safer and less cluttered by A Boards, the Council has been working in partnership with the owners of The Corridor and Bath Business Improvement District (BID) to produce the enhanced wayfinding columns.
“The new columns are designed to encourage visitors and local people to explore the passages and side streets of the city and support our local independent traders.”
Louise Prynne, Chief Executive of the Bath BID said: “The Bath Bid is working to enable landlords, the Council and tenants to work together in the city and to support businesses off the main arterial routes. This project is one of the first examples of this.
“Our investment in footfall monitoring will mean that we will be able to measure the impact of the new wayfinding columns.”
