4.2.18
Comment
Rayleigh Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options
Representation ID: 23993
Received: 21/12/2009
Respondent: The National Trust Rayleigh Mount Local Committee
It is certainly true that a visitor arriving by train would find it almost impossible to know how to get to the High Street from the station, because there are no directional signs at all (it is as if our town is indifferent to visitors). There is only a small, wall mounted map, not easy to follow by a stranger.
I do not agree that the Mount should be regarded simply as a route between the station and the High Street. I feel the Mount and the Windmill should be promoted as visitor attractions in their own right.
What is needed at the station is a finger signpost, with one finger reading 'Town Centre and Dutch Cottage' pointing up Crown Hill, and another finger reading 'Rayleigh Mount and Windmill' pointing up Castle Drive.
Incidentally, there is a leaflet rack at the station, with leaflets about Maldon, Colchester, Suffolk etc. - everything except Rayleigh. The council could try to ensure there is at least a small rack there with some leaflets about the town (e.g. the Windmill leaflet produced by the District Council, the Rayleigh town trail leaflet produced by the town council, and the Rayleigh Mount leaflet produced by the National Trust). At least then visitors might feel they were not being totally ignored.
It is certainly true that a visitor arriving by train would find it almost impossible to know how to get to the High Street from the station, because there are no directional signs at all (it is as if our town is indifferent to visitors). There is only a small, wall mounted map, not easy to follow by a stranger.
I do not agree that the Mount should be regarded simply as a route between the station and the High Street. I feel the Mount and the Windmill should be promoted as visitor attractions in their own right.
What is needed at the station is a finger signpost, with one finger reading 'Town Centre and Dutch Cottage' pointing up Crown Hill, and another finger reading 'Rayleigh Mount and Windmill' pointing up Castle Drive.
Incidentally, there is a leaflet rack at the station, with leaflets about Maldon, Colchester, Suffolk etc. - everything except Rayleigh. The council could try to ensure there is at least a small rack there with some leaflets about the town (e.g. the Windmill leaflet produced by the District Council, the Rayleigh town trail leaflet produced by the town council, and the Rayleigh Mount leaflet produced by the National Trust). At least then visitors might feel they were not being totally ignored.