
Wedgwood statue moves to Stoke-on-Trent railway station frontage
Work to enhance the area around the railway station began in August 2023.Moving the Wedgwood statue was quite an undertaking but had been carefully planned with heritage experts, the council said when the work began last year."The bronze statue is a symbol of civic pride and its more prominent position will allow people to better appreciate one of the city's greats and the unique heritage of the city as a global centre of ceramics production," the authority said.
The council's cabinet member for transport, regeneration and infrastructure, Finlay Gordon McCusker, said the scheme would provide a safe and attractive link between the railway station and city centre."As we enter the final phase of this transformational project I would like to thank residents for their ongoing patience throughout the works," he said."I am hopeful that residents, visitors and commuters will feel the benefit of these improvements as they travel around the city during our centenary year and beyond."Prior to the reopening, Station Road will be closed in both directions until 22:00 BST on 10 August.The full road closure was to enable block paving to be laid, as well as the completion of a bus gate at Winton Square.Residents will still be able to use car park 3, at the rear of the station, for drop off and pick up.The taxi rank will remain accessible and the Keele and Newcastle-under-Lyme bus stop will be temporarily relocated to Stoke Road.
Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
29 minutes ago
- BBC News
Devon family accommodation sees 'surge' in last-minute bookings
There has been a surge in last-minute bookings for family accommodation in South Devon, helped by the good weather, a tourism boss has executive of the English Rivera Business Improvement District (BID) Carolyn Custerson said family operators, such as holiday parks, big hotels with indoor swimming and family activities, were about 75% full by the start of the six-week summer holidays."The weather stimulates bookings," she said. "It gives people confidence to holiday in the UK and we have seen a surge of last minute bookings."Rhian Hughes, sales and revenue manager at Lady's Mile Holiday Park in Dawlish, said its venue was already 80% full. "Fingers crossed we can get to full capacity," she added."I think over the bank holiday weekend of August, we are 100% full."She agreed that the good weather has played a big part in people booking. South Devon attracts on average more than four million visitors a year and Ms Custerson said bookings will continue "right through the summer". "For the next six weeks - having talked to major operators that provide family accommodation over the last 48 hours - I think we are running at about 75% full," she said."Some people are booking up to 24 or 48 hours before in advance."But she said "there is still capacity"."I think we will be 80% to 85% full by the end of summer, which is very good." She added that the recent spells of hot weather has helped to give tourists confidence in holidaying in the UK, compared to its biggest competitor which is going abroad. "We do have a very strong rebooking pattern which is testament to what we have to offer," added Ms Custerson."We are a year-round destination, but the summer is when the bulk of the visitors come."


Times
2 hours ago
- Times
Trump's visit prompts political posturing and diplomatic duty
I t is doubtless Scotland's misfortune that the keenest presidential golfer since Gerald Ford is also an American president whose golfing interests extend to owning resorts in the land that gave the game to the world. If it weren't for golf, President Trump would not be visiting Scotland this weekend, or spending as many as four days here. But this is also the land of his mother and although Trump's visit is notionally a private one — to open a new course at his Aberdeenshire property — there is, in truth, no such thing when Air Force One comes to town. When the president of the United States demands a meeting, everyone's diaries are cleared. If that means extra duties for most of the police officers in Scotland, so be it.


BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Train disruption expected by GWR due to crew shortages
Train passengers in the West of England have been warned to expect disruption on the railways on Sunday due to "crew availability".Great Western Railway (GWR) said fewer trains would run on a number of routes and that those that do run are likely to be travelling between Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester or Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton should check their journeys before they between Westbury and Portsmouth or Weymouth may also be cancelled, and also those between Reading and Gatwick and Reading and Basingstoke. GWR apologised for the disruption and said it would run a limited rail replacement bus service "where possible", along some of the routes company added that due to the complexity of updating timetable systems, journey planning apps are unlikely to show the changes until Sunday who have already booked a ticket but decide not to travel can claim a full refund from the GWR website.