Stevenage was designated the first New Town in the UK in 1946, after much protest from the residents of the town who felt they were being used as a test of what new towns could develop in to. Farmers were also angry about the fact that they were going to loose huge amounts of land to the new town development, but it still went ahead, creating homes for what now stands at a population of around 80,000.
Development of Stevenage's new town was in the form of separate residential areas Bedwell, Broadwater, Chells, Pin Green, Shephall, Symonds Green, St. Nicholas, and Poplars. Each one builds up the town, and offers services to the localised community in each area, and provides for the needs of people without a journey across the town being necessary in many cases.
Stevenage was the first pedestrianised traffic free shopping area in the country, which was officially named the Queensway by the Queen in 1959. The town also has approximately 50 miles of cycle paths crossing the entire town, offering a safe way for people to cycle from one place to another.
In the central part of the shopping area there is the Town Square, which has the 'Joyride' bronze statue of a mother and child, by Franta Belsky. There are also other monuments from the time of the New Town development, and these are part of what makes Stevenage have it's 50's/60's character and feel.
The town is ideally situated for transport, with the East Coast main line adjacent to the centre, with trains from Scotland and the North of England, to Kings Cross in London. The A1(M) motorway is to the west of the town, with the M25 orbital motorway around London only 15 minutes down the A1(M).
Books and maps about Stevenage... (listed by popularity)
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