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Route from Portland Square to the Cookworthy Building

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

Access Guide

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Introduction

  • This route is from Portland Square to the Cookworthy Building.
  • The route is approximately 420m long.
  • It takes approximately 7 minutes to complete the route.
  • The route crosses North Hill, up Gibbon Lane, left down Gibbon Street, crosses Regent Street, left down Hampton Street and across to the Cookworthy Building.
  • The pavements in this area are tarmac in poor repair with numerous uneven patches and potholes.
  • There are a few dropped kerbs and in some places a dropped kerb on one side of the road only.
  • The route has a number of sections on gradients.
  • There is extensive building work taking place which has closed Tavistock Place to vehicles and pedestrians for a considerable period of time.
  • All the University buildings are clearly named and there are some wall and finger signs.
  • The campus is situated on a hillside and there are sections of the route with moderately steep gradients.

Portland Square

Portland Square to North Hill

  • Exit Portland Square and bear right slightly to walk down the path at a diagonal in front of you, shown in photographs 1 and 2.
  • This area is surfaced with brick block paving and has an easy gradient.
  • Approximately 10m down the diagonal path where it joins Sherwell Lane there is an unmarked dipped gutter running across the path, as shown in photograph 3.
  • Bear right and continue along Sherwell Lane to North Hill.
  • Sherwell lane has an easy gradient and an even brick block surface.
  • There is infrequent use of this part of Sherwell Lane by vehicles for the Sherwell Church car park. This area is shown in photographs 4 and 5.
  • As Sherwell Lane reaches North Hill there is a row of bollards along the left side of the junction, the bollards have high visibility stripes at the top. These bollards are shown in photographs 5 and 6.

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 Regent 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, as shown in photographs 2 and 3.
  • Continue down Gibbon Street for approximately another 60m and pass the Robbins Conference Centre on your left, shown in photographs 5 and 6.
  • Continue beyond the Robins Conference Centre along the pavement for approximately another 60m to Regent Street.
  • Photographs 7 and 8 show the pavement beyond the Robins Conference Centre.

Regent Street to Cookworthy Building

  • Upon reaching the Regent Street junction turn left to cross Gibbon Street.
  • This crossing has dropped kerbs on both sides with no tactile paving.
  • This crossing is shown in photographs 1, 2 and 3.
  • Walk straight along Regent Street.
  • This pavement is shown in photograph 4 and has a tarmac surface with infrequent manhole covers.
  • Turn right after approximately 20m to cross Regent Street.
  • This crossing is shown in photographs 5 and 6 and is level with tactile paving on both sides.
  • After crossing Regent Street turn left and continue towards Hampton Street.
  • This area of pavement is shown in photograph 6 and is even with a concrete slab surface.
  • Upon reaching Hampton Street continue straight and cross Hampton Street.
  • This cross has dropped kerbs and tactile paving on both sides with a level central island which also has tactile paving.
  • This crossing is shown in photographs 7 and 8.
  • After crossing Hampton Street turn right and the Cookworthy building is on your left approximately 60m down the street.
  • Hampton Street has an even tarmac surface with a steep gradient and is shown in photographs 9 and 10.

Cookworthy Building