Work completed on railway arches art gates

Work to close off 10 archways next to Bradford Forster Square station by installing metal gates with artistic designs has been completed.

The arches, which were once used by rough sleepers, were cleared by the council in August.

Homeless charities branded the decision to move a group of people living in tents away from the area as "heartless", but Bradford Civic Society welcomed it.

The artworks on the metal gates include a poem written by a former Bradford schoolgirl.

Commuter Michael O'Brien, 64, from Bradford, said the new gates were an improvement.

"I've got nothing against homeless people, but it was the first thing you saw when you came in and also it just felt dangerous," he said.

"If anybody is going to come into Bradford, especially women, and you need people to come for a night out, it really was the most uninviting entrance to the city."

However, he said it would have been "great" if the archways could have been used for shops and cafes.

Hannah Al, who has lived in Bradford all her life, said the gates were "just another hit to homeless people".

"It was one of the only places where they could have a little bit of shelter and even that's been taken away," she said.

"I've lived here all my life and people have always taken shelter there."

Jordan Payton, 26, is a joiner from Bradford and said he felt it was "disgusting" that the gates had been put in.

"At least they knew where the homeless people were and what they were doing," he said.

"If they're there in a tent they can be checked on, can't they?"

He said rough sleepers had moved on to other areas along the street.

Zainab, who did not want to give her surname, was also unimpressed.

"It doesn't look that pretty, to be honest, they look quite old and rusty already," she said.

"I know the homeless used to sit in the arches and it would protect them from the elements. I've never had an issue walking down here."

A Bradford Council spokesperson said the project aimed to improve the area around the station and the work was paid for by Network Rail.

The council's homeless outreach partnership team visited the arches on a daily basis to speak to rough sleepers ahead of access to the area being withdrawn, the spokesperson previously said.

Each metal panel features three intertwining strands to represent Bradford Beck, a fibre from the city's mill heritage and the railway tracks.

The strands also reflect the Fibre sculptures near the station at St Blaise Square, so named after the patron saint of wool combers.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw said: "This artwork literally threads together the history of our incredible district, with words of hope which take us into the future.

"People of Bradford are proud of our heritage and at the same time hopeful for what is to come, and rightly so.

"It's fitting that we are welcoming people to the city at the station with beautiful words which reflect that pride and hope."

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