Streetscapes Design Guide

The roads, pavements, parks, trees, lights, crossings, signs, bollards and barriers that make up our public spaces have a huge impact on how we use and navigate the city. The quality of these shared spaces has often been ignored by those responsible for planning and maintaining them.

The Streetscapes Design Guide outlines South Bank Employers’ Group’s commitment to creating a coherent identity for the streets and open spaces bounded by the River Thames, Blackfriars Road and Lambeth Road. It provides a co-ordinated streetscape strategy, establishing a clear identity for the public realm.

Funded by: London Development Authority, London Borough of Lambeth, South Bank Employers' Group

Other Partners include: English Heritage, Greater London Authority, London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark, Metropolitan Police Service and Transport for London

King's College Environmental Improvements

The work of South Bank Employers’ Group extends back from the riverside to ensure that the area as a whole is clean, attractive and welcoming. The scheme focuses on environmental enhancements to the immediate area surrounding King’s College and the Bus Station, in order to make this open space feel safer and more accessible.

The regeneration of this area includes laying high quality granite surfacing, creating new cycle provision, providing better lighting both on the street and in the trees, as well as installing new benches.

Funded by: Cross River Partnership, King’s College London

Other partners include: Transport for London, London Borough of Lambeth

Jubilee Gardens

South Bank Employers' Group is leading the regeneration of Jubilee Gardens. Bringing together local business, statutory authority and community interests, the project aims to create a world-class public park in the heart of London which is as 'soft and green as it is sustainable'.

The Jubilee Gardens Steering Group is currently working with appointed designers West 8, and other members of the appointed team, and has agreed a final design for one of the capital's most important green spaces. Planning consent was granted by the London Borough of Lambeth in April 2006 for the agreed scheme.

For the latest project news visit: www.jubileegardens.org.uk

The Jubilee Gardens Steering Group: London Eye, Coin Street Community Builders, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Friends of Jubilee Gardens, Government Office for London, Greater London Authority, London Borough of Lambeth, London Development Agency, Shell International, Shriayama Corporation, Southbank Centre

Funded by: London Development Agency, Southbank Centre, London Eye, South Bank Employer's Group

IMAX Underpasses

The BFI IMAX Underpasses are one of the main pedestrian routes to South Bank, linking Waterloo Station directly to the area's cultural attractions. Yet this labyrinth of corridors is unwelcoming to visitors, employees and residents.

For the past two years, South Bank Employers' Group has been committed to making the underpasses safer and more pleasant. The programme of work included wall resurfacing, redecoration using anti-graffitti paint, and the installation of a high quality, low energy lighting system, which can create different colour moods.

Work agreed by the IMAX Environs Steering Group: London Development Agency, King's College London, White House Residents, Transport for London, London Eye, BFI Southbank, Southbank Centre, London Borough of Lambeth, National Theatre, Greater London Authority, Shell, Network Rail, Cross River Partnerships, P & O Estates

Funded by: Transport for London, London Borough of Lambeth, London Development Agency

Other partners: The landowners, adjioning landowners, Metropolitan Police

Waterloo City Square

Following the publication of the Mayor’s Waterloo Opportunity Area Planning Framework, South Bank Employers’ Group is working with partners to create a new vision for Waterloo.

The Waterloo City Square Implementation Group aims to develop concept ideas for the area located in and around the BFI IMAX roundabout and Waterloo Road.  This complex labyrinth of spaces, links and routes stretching from subways to streets, squares and raised walkways is confusing and unwelcoming for pedestrians. The long-term aim is to provide a unified and quality public environment worthy of the area’s national and international significance; to improve accessibility and connections to transport interchanges; and enhance walking routes.

It is anticipated that public consultation on the future of the site will commence in 2008.

Local Area Management

How do we ensure our streets are clean, safe and welcoming? South Bank Employers´ Group commissioned research to assess the service standards delivered by both public and private agents and identified service areas in need of improvement. These included: street lighting, security, street cleaning, highway and footpath repairs, and illegal trader enforcement.

Through the appointment of a locally based Public Realm Manager we are now able to identify responsibilities and develop a strategic approach for improving service delivery across all sectors, in partnership with local authorities.

Funded by: London Borough of Lambeth, London Eye, South Bank Employers' Group

Other partners: Metropolitan Police, South Bank Partnership

Waterloo Road Lighting

Effective lighting schemes are crucial to improving access, reducing fear of crime and helping deter crime. On Waterloo Road, the main access point to the London Underground station, South Bank Employers' Group is improving public highway and pedestrian lighting in line with the standards agreed in the Streetscapes Design Guide, and as set out in the South Bank Lighting Strategy (part of the Urban Design Strategy).

Funded by: London Development Agency, Transport for London, London Borough of Lambeth

Partners include: London Borough of Lambeth, Transport for London

CCTV Improvements

South Bank Employers' Group is committed to creating a safer environment for residents, employees and visitors. Our CCTV initiative aims to improve public safety whilst actively deterring crime. Our current work focuses on evaluating the existing system and recommending a way forward for "gap filling" and other improvements. We have recently completed our evaluations and now aim to achieve improved coverage in the area.

Following the appointment of our South Bank Security Coordinator, this project will also improve coordination and intelligence sharing between local businesses and the Metropolitan Police. Working with the Home Office will ensure the highest standards of CCTV coverage.

Funded by: London Eye, South Bank Employers' Group, Government Office for London

South Bank Security Zone & Security Strategy

Guided by our South Bank Security Coordinator, the South Bank Community Security Zone is a business led, cross-borough partnership of local police, London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and key stakeholders. The aim is to focus on security priorities and support the work of the South Bank Partnership's Security Strategy and manifesto commitment.

The aim of the Security Strategy is to reduce crime, the fear of crime and the threat of terrorism. Currently the CSZ is being developed through South Bank Business Watch in partnership with local police, who are assessing extra policing resources for South Bank and promoting greater resilience among the business community for security incidents and emergency planning.

Graffiti Removal Service

The South Bank Graffiti Removal Service has been operating since January 2007 and aims to ensure all graffiti in the area is removed within 24 working hours (or 4 hours if offensive). Operating on both public and private estates, the service has been extremely successful in controlling levels of graffiti and flying posting.

Participants include: St Thomas' Hospital , Ernst & Young, Shell, London Eye, Southbank Centre, National Theatre, BFI Southbank, IBM, ITV, Transport for London, Coin Street Community Builders, King's College London and Sea Containers House.

Riverside Lighting Scheme

South Bank Employers' Group's Urban Lighting Strategy aims to brighten up the beautiful Riverside Walk whilst helping reduce fear of crime and improving both security and accessibility.

The first phase of this work commenced in 2003 and was completed in July 2005. This involved the complete refurbishment of the historical sturgeon lights and the installation of an impressive tree lighting scheme, completed in 2006. The scheme was envisaged and derived from the Riverside Landscape Strategy.

Funded by: London Development Agency, Transport for London, London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark

Other partners include: Coin Street Community Builders, English Heritage, National Theatre, Environment Agency, Greater London Authority

Legible London

Legible London aims to make it easier to walk in and around the capital by developing a coordinated wayfinding system to serve Londoners and visitors.

The aim is to assist people in building a better understanding of how the city fits together, by connecting areas and providing better ways of judging distance and direction. The Central London Partnership, Transport for London and central London local authorities commissioned a study to identify a common solution to wayfinding, outlining principles for a pedestrian signage system.

South Bank Employers' Group has recently completed a feasibility with Transport for London, evaluating the elements required to implement the scheme in and around South Bank .

Lower Marsh Area Based Scheme

South Bank Employer's Group in association with the Lower Marsh Steering Group, aims to pull together available funds and bids to enable the development of improved public realm in the area.

Key areas of focus include: improving the environment, public transport, pedestrian access and safety; redesigning signage and information provision, street furniture, lighting and landscaping; encouraging more street level activity; implementing improved maintenance of the public realm, improving market facilities and encouraging better shopping.

Partners include: London Borough of Lambeth, Network Rail, Galliard Homes, P & O Estates, Waterloo Quarter Business Alliance, Design for London, Transport for London

Waterloo Bridge Steps

South Bank Employer's Group has identified the steps at the Southern End of Waterloo Bridge, leading to the Southbank Centre or National Theatre on either side, as an area in need of refurbishment.

Complete Urban Solutions has prepared a report to assess the area for improvement. The steps have served 50 years of heavy footfall but now require constant maintenance.

Partners include: National Theatre, Southbank Centre, London Borough of Lambeth, Transport for London, BFI Southbank

Public Toilet Review

The South Bank is now one of London’s top visitor destinations which, according to Visit London research, draws more overseas tourists than Covent Garden or Leicester Square. As visitor numbers increase, the demands on the area and its management also grow: everything from rubbish collection and street cleaning to public toilets and lighting. South Bank Employers’ Group has reviewed public toilet facilities in the area and has proposed a coordinated strategy for future provision.

Funded by: London Eye Section 106 via London Borough of Lambeth's Visitor Management Group

Other partners include: South Bank Partnership

Communities and Local Government

South Bank Employers' Group is working in partnership with the Central London Partnership and Price Waterhouse Coopers to assist in the development and delivery of the Business and Town Centre Management Programme.

The government Department of Communities and Local Government wish to capture the role and lessons learnt from South Bank, as an area which brings together business, statutory authorities and elected members.

Supporting Other Projects

South Bank Employers' Group plays an important supporting role on a range of various local projects.

The Group is recognised as an essential partner for both the London boroughs and various pan-London agencies operating in the area due to its representation of the major employers in South Bank and its fantastic track record of delivery.

Projects include: Emma Cons Gardens, The Cut, Stamford Street, Hatfields.

Past achievements