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Route from the Sherwell Centre to the Robbins Conference Centre

University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA

Access Guide

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Introduction

  • This is a route from the Sherwell Centre to the Robins Conference Centre.
  • The route is approximately 250m long.
  • It takes 5 minutes to complete the route.
  • The route leads from the Sherwell Centre to North Hill, across and up Gibbon Lane and down Gibbon Street.
  • The pedestrianised surface is block paved and the street surface is tarmac.
  • It is a steep slope from North Hill to Gibbon Lane and the tarmac pavements in the area are in poor condition.
  • There are few dropped kerbs and not all have a dropped kerb on both sides of the crossing.
  • All the buildings are clearly named and there are some wall and finger signs.
  • Throughout the campus, University vehicles may use the pedestrian areas.
  • They are restricted to 5mph and pedestrians have right of way.
  • The campus is situated on a hillside and there are sections of the route with steep gradients.

Sherwell Centre

Sherwell Centre to North Hill

  • Exit the Sherwell Centre to the left via the building ramp, shown in photograph 2, and walk ahead keeping to the left onto Sherwell Lane for 45m.
  • This area has brick block paving and is even with an easy slope leading down away from you, shown in photograph 3.
  • Sherwell Lane is almost completely pedestrianised with infrequent car use to access the Sherwell Centre car park as shown in photograph 4, there is a 5mph speed limit for vehicles and pedestrians have right of way in this area.
  • Head down Sherwell Lane between Portland Square and the Sherwell Centre car park.
  • There is a line of removable bollards level with the start of the Sherwell Centre car park, they are approximately 100cm apart and are frequently not in use. These bollards were not in use at the time of the survey
  • At the end of Sherwell Lane there is a line of removable bollards, a minimum of 140cm apart, that only covers the left 5m of the pavement joining North Hill, the bollards have a double high visibility strip at the top. This area is shown in photographs 5 and 6.
  • Bear slightly right to join North Hill.

North Hill to Gibbon Street

  • Cross North Hill at the traffic light controlled crossing directly in front of Portland Square.
  • This crossing is shown in photographs 1, 2 and 3.
  • This is a traffic light controlled crossing with a level central island.
  • There are dropped kerbs and tactile paving on both sides of the crossing.
  • Once having crossed North Hill turn right to cross Gibbon Lane.
  • The surface here is concrete slabs.
  • There are dropped kerbs either side of Gibbon Lane with tactile paving as shown in photographs 4 and 5.
  • Having crossed Gibbon Lane turn left.
  • This area has a tarmac surface with an easy gradient.
  • Head up the slope to the junction with Tavistock Place. Cross outside the pub, The Skiving Scholar.
  • The kerb is low on both sides of the road but is not dropped and does not have tactile warnings, this crossing is shown in photographs 6, 7 and 8.
  • The far side of Tavistock Place has a narrow, very uneven pavement.
  • Tavistock Place is currently closed due to a large construction project thus there is very little traffic at this crossing.
  • Once having crossed Tavistock Street turn left and follow the pavement round to the right for approximately 50m until you reach Gibbon Street.
  • This stretch of pavement, shown in photographs 8, 9 and 10, is uneven with a tarmac surface, halfway along the street there is a parking ticket machine, as shown in photograph 9, that narrows the pavement to 140cm.

Gibbon Street to the Robbins Conference Centre (Gibbon Street)

  • Turn right onto Gibbon Street.
  • At the start of Gibbon Street there are green electrical boxes which narrow the pavement to 135cm, this is shown in photograph 1.
  • The pavement, shown in photographs 1, 3, 4 and 5, has a tarmac surface with a steep gradient.
  • After approximately 45m there is a dropped kerb entrance to a car parking area.
  • The kerbs are level but there is no tactile warning, shown in photographs 2 and 3.
  • Continue down Gibbon Street for approximately another 60m and the Robbins Conference Centre is on your right, shown in photographs 5 and 6.

Robbins Conference Centre