Bradford's Forster Square Royal Mail building is up for sale (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

"The Royal Mail sorting office, it says, could become shops, offices and even homes."
Join the queue!

I agree with Gorgeous George about the closure of sorting office but beg to differ with his comment on David Ward's popular comment on Friday that made every body cheer for telling the truth.

This is an opportunity to right the mess that is Forster Square.
1. Knock down the Royal Mail building
2. Leave space for cross-bradford rail link
3. Take the facade of the old GPO building in front of the Cathedral and use it as the new frontage to a building on the existing Royal Mail site
4. Make new wide steps up to the Cathedral
5. Dump the Westfield development and create a new city centre park

The city centre in Brdaford is a disaster area. There are no less than THREE levels plus associated steep inclines to get between them. The centre should be made MUCH smaller and concentrated preferably on ONE level or possibly TWO. John Street and Manningham lane should be completely abandoned as shopping areas. Any remaining shops (not pound, charity, betting or payday loan) should be relocated to the lower levels. John Street and Manningham lane should become housing.

Westfield need to have the whole charade scrapped!

SHOPS??? you are joking they are closing all the time

This article makes no mention of the Royal Mail's other site next to Forster Sq retail park, is that staying open? We are supposed to go there to collect our mail when Shipley sorting office shuts (another bad idea from Royal Mail).

matacaster wrote:
This is an opportunity to right the mess that is Forster Square.
1. Knock down the Royal Mail building
2. Leave space for cross-bradford rail link
3. Take the facade of the old GPO building in front of the Cathedral and use it as the new frontage to a building on the existing Royal Mail site
4. Make new wide steps up to the Cathedral
5. Dump the Westfield development and create a new city centre park

The city centre in Brdaford is a disaster area. There are no less than THREE levels plus associated steep inclines to get between them. The centre should be made MUCH smaller and concentrated preferably on ONE level or possibly TWO. John Street and Manningham lane should be completely abandoned as shopping areas. Any remaining shops (not pound, charity, betting or payday loan) should be relocated to the lower levels. John Street and Manningham lane should become housing.

matacaster you should be mayor, so why don't you give the council a shot and let all us normal folk give you their backing!!!

Tyke69 wrote:
This article makes no mention of the Royal Mail's other site next to Forster Sq retail park, is that staying open? We are supposed to go there to collect our mail when Shipley sorting office shuts (another bad idea from Royal Mail).

You're obviously talking about the delivery office in Inkersley Road. The reason Shipley and many other smaller delivery offices are shutting is because of the falling levels of social letters, folk are finding other ways of talking to each other in these technological days! Remember if you order goods on the internet RM or indeed any of the competitors has to try to deliver, and if you're not in leave a card. If you work 9 to 5 would you expect others to work 5 till midnight and get paid less?!

Would be a decent location for the proposed new market....

Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

Didn't we know this was likely to happen soon anyway?
This could be good for the city. It's a large site in a prime location which could potentially be used for something more beneficial for the city,

BagOfMonkeys wrote:

Tyke69 wrote:
This article makes no mention of the Royal Mail's other site next to Forster Sq retail park, is that staying open? We are supposed to go there to collect our mail when Shipley sorting office shuts (another bad idea from Royal Mail).

You're obviously talking about the delivery office in Inkersley Road. The reason Shipley and many other smaller delivery offices are shutting is because of the falling levels of social letters, folk are finding other ways of talking to each other in these technological days! Remember if you order goods on the internet RM or indeed any of the competitors has to try to deliver, and if you're not in leave a card. If you work 9 to 5 would you expect others to work 5 till midnight and get paid less?!

I didn't say anything about expecting people to work outside 9-5 or get paid less so not sure why you mentioned it? Although don't mail staff already work outside those hours?
.
The closure of Shipley delivery office will be a great inconvenience for Shipley, especially to the elderly, disabled or anyone without a car to get to the new location in Bradford. Our MP Philip Davies was supposed to be pushing for an alternative parcel collection location in Shipley but he seems to have gone very quiet on that one.

bhuna156 wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

They already are cut off due to a massive hole in the ground if you hadn't noticed.

"Cross-Bradford rail link"
.
Please share with us, where the money tree is that would allow such a huge undertaking to be built?

Bye bye more jobs from the city centre. Keep on hoping for a shopping centre....ah well atleast we'll have loads of room to choose where to locate this elusive shopping centre.

Bradford is fast endorsing its image as a failed city.

bhuna

I think the rail line could go in a cut and cover tunnel under some very wide steps just in front of the Cathedral (ie steps to sort of mezzanine level before dropping to ground level). Maybe even have some car parking under the mezzanine level.

A central station and thru line is important, as it encourages train companies to put more services on eg to London etc as a Leeds - london service via Bradford on a thru line is a small penalty, whilst a Bradford - London via Leeds is a severe time penalty.Also Settle-Carlisle line services currently avoid Bradford as they would take much longer with reversal at Forster Square. With a thru line the service to Carlisle would stop for only a few minutes in Bradford.

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

They already are cut off due to a massive hole in the ground if you hadn't noticed.

When Westfield is built I can imagine Little Germany being a highly popular part of town. People will want to live there, businesses will want to open there... It's a beautiful place with massive potential.

It's a shame so many people in Bradford don't notice or appreciate these things.

matacaster wrote:
bhuna

I think the rail line could go in a cut and cover tunnel under some very wide steps just in front of the Cathedral (ie steps to sort of mezzanine level before dropping to ground level). Maybe even have some car parking under the mezzanine level.

A central station and thru line is important, as it encourages train companies to put more services on eg to London etc as a Leeds - london service via Bradford on a thru line is a small penalty, whilst a Bradford - London via Leeds is a severe time penalty.Also Settle-Carlisle line services currently avoid Bradford as they would take much longer with reversal at Forster Square. With a thru line the service to Carlisle would stop for only a few minutes in Bradford.

There's currently a good few trains running to London everyday from both the Interchange and Forster Square - do we need more?

And I don't see why having the Settle-Carlisle line pass through Bradford will be so beneficial to us.

It's not worth it in my opinion.

Knock it down and extend the Retail Park, most of shopping in Bradford done along the retail parks now.

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

They already are cut off due to a massive hole in the ground if you hadn't noticed.

When Westfield is built I can imagine Little Germany being a highly popular part of town. People will want to live there, businesses will want to open there... It's a beautiful place with massive potential.

It's a shame so many people in Bradford don't notice or appreciate these things.

The key word is when, or should it be if.

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

They already are cut off due to a massive hole in the ground if you hadn't noticed.

When Westfield is built I can imagine Little Germany being a highly popular part of town. People will want to live there, businesses will want to open there... It's a beautiful place with massive potential.

It's a shame so many people in Bradford don't notice or appreciate these things.

The key word is when, or should it be if.

If Westfield have no intention of building in Bradford they would have pulled out a long time ago.

It seems more likely to happen this year than any other year since work stopped.

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

They already are cut off due to a massive hole in the ground if you hadn't noticed.

When Westfield is built I can imagine Little Germany being a highly popular part of town. People will want to live there, businesses will want to open there... It's a beautiful place with massive potential.

It's a shame so many people in Bradford don't notice or appreciate these things.

The key word is when, or should it be if.

If Westfield have no intention of building in Bradford they would have pulled out a long time ago.

It seems more likely to happen this year than any other year since work stopped.

They have actively tried to sell the site, still if you want to believe in fairytales and that westfield will be onsite soon then there is probably a vacancy on the council for you.

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

They already are cut off due to a massive hole in the ground if you hadn't noticed.

When Westfield is built I can imagine Little Germany being a highly popular part of town. People will want to live there, businesses will want to open there... It's a beautiful place with massive potential.

It's a shame so many people in Bradford don't notice or appreciate these things.

The key word is when, or should it be if.

If Westfield have no intention of building in Bradford they would have pulled out a long time ago.

It seems more likely to happen this year than any other year since work stopped.

They have actively tried to sell the site, still if you want to believe in fairytales and that westfield will be onsite soon then there is probably a vacancy on the council for you.

Like it or not, the council will know more about it than you...

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:

bhuna156 wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

They already are cut off due to a massive hole in the ground if you hadn't noticed.

When Westfield is built I can imagine Little Germany being a highly popular part of town. People will want to live there, businesses will want to open there... It's a beautiful place with massive potential.

It's a shame so many people in Bradford don't notice or appreciate these things.

The key word is when, or should it be if.

If Westfield have no intention of building in Bradford they would have pulled out a long time ago.

It seems more likely to happen this year than any other year since work stopped.

They have actively tried to sell the site, still if you want to believe in fairytales and that westfield will be onsite soon then there is probably a vacancy on the council for you.

Like it or not, the council will know more about it than you...

The same council who have been making out progress has been made for years, Greenwood who said work would start by Feb2012 and when it didn't Green said it would be within a year, well to be fair it's been 11 month and about 3 weeks so there still is chance.

It isn't just to Bradford's advantage to create a cross city rail link it also increases the capacity of the M 62 corridor, a nationally important part of the transport infrastructure.

jam1966 wrote:
It isn't just to Bradford's advantage to create a cross city rail link it also increases the capacity of the M 62 corridor, a nationally important part of the transport infrastructure.

Not much chance of that while Leeds & Manchester continue to get the lions share of northern regional aid...

bhuna156 wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:
Bad news for Bradford which was flagged up a couple of years ago...ludicrous that a city the size of Bradford wont have it's own Royal Mail sorting office anymore. I'm all for cross rail though... a great idea that should have been brought to fruition before the first world war...will it happen....without doubt it should... but probably will never see the light of day...

Can't see how cross rail will benefit the city.
It will cut Little Germany and the Cathedral off from the rest of the city centre, and it won't be possible for it to be built without destroying some architectural gems.

Why is it so important for a railway to run straight through the city?
Manchester has two station like Bradford and it doesn't seem to have affected them.

I really don't get it.

Assuming HS2 goes ahead I can see problems for Leeds in about 30 years time. They're planning for the HS2 station to be at right angles to the current Leeds station- means if they want a through HS2 line in the future, they'd have to go right through their local rail station/town hall/hospital. (wonder why their plans don't connect up at Nevil hill?)

As to Bradford. CBDs do "drift around" as time passes. ie Cheapside usually indicates where markets were a long time ago.The big hill that the cathedral and little Germany has always pushed from the North so I suspect Bradford's CBD would prefer to dift south perhaps down Manchester or Wakefield road. but the uni, the new police station, and the multiplex cinema block that. What's left is to go east (Leeds road) up Thorton road,or along Canal road.

What has been missed here is potential usage of the Westfield Site and the Forster Square royal mail site.

The two could be used for what Bradford Definitely NEEDS but doesnt have which most other cities DO have.

The sites could be used to build bradfords very own much needed Prison. That way, we could lock up all our scoundrels and keep them locked up.

If an offender is in prison, he/she can only offend within the confines of their immediate vicinity, and what the general public dont give a sfuff about.

I would suggest about 10 to a cell, 1 from each ethnic community to promote integration and to boost the council Integration statistics.

I dont see a problem with a city centre prison, other cities cope, and the general public could walk past in the knowledge that Bradfords streets are safer for it.

No soft touch prison though.. Hard Labour, no TV or games, no time off for good behaviour, but time added on for bad. The prisoner pays rent, for which he is given a bed.

Mattress and bedding comes extra. Rent money is earned by working (doing things like picking up litter, sweeping streets etc. But I would not force them to the lowest of the low, parking attendant.

Money earned such way (with the exception of parking attendants) goes towards payment for bed, bedding, heating, lighting and food, as such taking some of the burden off the taxpayer.

And finally, this prison would have one rarely used room, but necessary. Lets just say prisoners going into it do not come out in the same state.

WayneRouke wrote:
What has been missed here is potential usage of the Westfield Site and the Forster Square royal mail site. The two could be used for what Bradford Definitely NEEDS but doesnt have which most other cities DO have. The sites could be used to build bradfords very own much needed Prison. That way, we could lock up all our scoundrels and keep them locked up. If an offender is in prison, he/she can only offend within the confines of their immediate vicinity, and what the general public dont give a sfuff about. I would suggest about 10 to a cell, 1 from each ethnic community to promote integration and to boost the council Integration statistics. I dont see a problem with a city centre prison, other cities cope, and the general public could walk past in the knowledge that Bradfords streets are safer for it. No soft touch prison though.. Hard Labour, no TV or games, no time off for good behaviour, but time added on for bad. The prisoner pays rent, for which he is given a bed. Mattress and bedding comes extra. Rent money is earned by working (doing things like picking up litter, sweeping streets etc. But I would not force them to the lowest of the low, parking attendant. Money earned such way (with the exception of parking attendants) goes towards payment for bed, bedding, heating, lighting and food, as such taking some of the burden off the taxpayer. And finally, this prison would have one rarely used room, but necessary. Lets just say prisoners going into it do not come out in the same state.

Excellent idea, wakefield has a prison behind the railway station. Bradford could have a new eco prison and the prisoners could go on treadmills and bicycles and generate electricity to power the city parks fountains and lighting and power the eid and christmas lights.

bradmat wrote:

WayneRouke wrote:
What has been missed here is potential usage of the Westfield Site and the Forster Square royal mail site. The two could be used for what Bradford Definitely NEEDS but doesnt have which most other cities DO have. The sites could be used to build bradfords very own much needed Prison. That way, we could lock up all our scoundrels and keep them locked up. If an offender is in prison, he/she can only offend within the confines of their immediate vicinity, and what the general public dont give a sfuff about. I would suggest about 10 to a cell, 1 from each ethnic community to promote integration and to boost the council Integration statistics. I dont see a problem with a city centre prison, other cities cope, and the general public could walk past in the knowledge that Bradfords streets are safer for it. No soft touch prison though.. Hard Labour, no TV or games, no time off for good behaviour, but time added on for bad. The prisoner pays rent, for which he is given a bed. Mattress and bedding comes extra. Rent money is earned by working (doing things like picking up litter, sweeping streets etc. But I would not force them to the lowest of the low, parking attendant. Money earned such way (with the exception of parking attendants) goes towards payment for bed, bedding, heating, lighting and food, as such taking some of the burden off the taxpayer. And finally, this prison would have one rarely used room, but necessary. Lets just say prisoners going into it do not come out in the same state.

Excellent idea, wakefield has a prison behind the railway station. Bradford could have a new eco prison and the prisoners could go on treadmills and bicycles and generate electricity to power the city parks fountains and lighting and power the eid and christmas lights.

I am with you..

And to add to it...

The courts are close by, so, an unconvicted prisoner gets the privilege of transport from remand to court.

A convicted prisoner is tightly secured and made to walk "the walk of shame" to prison. It would save gallons in fuel used by the wagons.

And a prison would generate much needed jobs in the centre, which would bring families and shoppers, so a prison would add to the wealth.

I would reserve the treadmill which powered the prison though for the lowest of the low, traffic wardens.

WayneRouke wrote:

bradmat wrote:

WayneRouke wrote: What has been missed here is potential usage of the Westfield Site and the Forster Square royal mail site. The two could be used for what Bradford Definitely NEEDS but doesnt have which most other cities DO have. The sites could be used to build bradfords very own much needed Prison. That way, we could lock up all our scoundrels and keep them locked up. If an offender is in prison, he/she can only offend within the confines of their immediate vicinity, and what the general public dont give a sfuff about. I would suggest about 10 to a cell, 1 from each ethnic community to promote integration and to boost the council Integration statistics. I dont see a problem with a city centre prison, other cities cope, and the general public could walk past in the knowledge that Bradfords streets are safer for it. No soft touch prison though.. Hard Labour, no TV or games, no time off for good behaviour, but time added on for bad. The prisoner pays rent, for which he is given a bed. Mattress and bedding comes extra. Rent money is earned by working (doing things like picking up litter, sweeping streets etc. But I would not force them to the lowest of the low, parking attendant. Money earned such way (with the exception of parking attendants) goes towards payment for bed, bedding, heating, lighting and food, as such taking some of the burden off the taxpayer. And finally, this prison would have one rarely used room, but necessary. Lets just say prisoners going into it do not come out in the same state.

Excellent idea, wakefield has a prison behind the railway station. Bradford could have a new eco prison and the prisoners could go on treadmills and bicycles and generate electricity to power the city parks fountains and lighting and power the eid and christmas lights.

I am with you.. And to add to it... The courts are close by, so, an unconvicted prisoner gets the privilege of transport from remand to court. A convicted prisoner is tightly secured and made to walk "the walk of shame" to prison. It would save gallons in fuel used by the wagons. And a prison would generate much needed jobs in the centre, which would bring families and shoppers, so a prison would add to the wealth. I would reserve the treadmill which powered the prison though for the lowest of the low, traffic wardens.

"the lowest of the low" Would have to go into a giant hamster wheel which would have battery packs connected and the wheel recharges the batteries for such things as cattle prods which could be used if any prisoner gets out of line on "the walk of shame"
Saves fuel, environmentaly friendly, creates jobs and no excuse for being late to and from the courts saving time and money. Efficient all round.