19 February 2008
Bargoed town centre is facing an exciting new future thanks to a range of dramatic and far reaching changes that are currently taking place in the area.
Construction of the impressive 'Angel Way' road scheme is well underway and the proposed retail development is also moving forward and receiving considerable interest from potential investors.It is hoped that these new developments will breathe new life into Bargoed and help the town reclaim its position as one of the leading shopping centres in the area alongside Blackwood and Caerphilly.
In order to track this success, new technology has been put in place to measure the number of shoppers visiting the town centre. A special 'footfall counter' has been installed in the south of the town to accurately count the pedestrian flow. These pedestrian figures are recorded around the clock and will be used to benchmark and assess the impact of the new development plateau. Footfall information can also be of immense benefit to retailers. Businesses already trading in Bargoed will be able to measure the impact of local events and even monitor how such things as the weather affects their business. In addition, decisions on store locations by national retailers are based on accurate market intelligence, of which the Footfall figures are an important part.
CCBC cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Tudor Davies said, "This data will provide us with a valuable picture of how the pedestrian flow in the town is changing as the Greater Barged Regeneration Scheme evolves. It also demonstrates to investors that Bargoed offers a genuine opportunity to capture an expanding customer base."
"The Footfall pedestrian counting system has been a great success in Blackwood and Caerphilly and shows how as an authority we are leading the way in developing our towns" he added.The Bargoed Footfall Counter was funded through the Heads of the Valleys programme. The initiative is a 15 year regeneration project, led by the Welsh Assembly Government, working to benefit communities in Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf. Aimed at stimulating regeneration, economic growth, and environmental improvement, the £140 million programme is making the Heads of the Valleys an increasingly successful and attractive area for people to live and work.
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