Rough sleepers 'abandoned' before being moved on

There are 10 archways which the council is proposing to gate off

A charity that helps the homeless has claimed that rough sleepers have been "abandoned" ahead of being moved on by council staff.

Homeless Not Helpless ran an outreach service close to a number of arches near Bradford Forster Square Station, where several tent encampments had sprung up.

Bradford Council decided to install gates on 10 of the railway arches to provide space for art installations as part of City of Culture 2025.

The charity agreed to relocate its volunteers to a car park, but said it would now return to the area because the work had not started on time.

Many of the archways have tents inside them used by the city's rough sleepers

The group's Steve Richardson said the arches had been "abandoned by the council" and that it was having to step in and provide help for the remaining rough sleepers.

The council said that its own staff were making daily visits to the area to liaise with homeless people and refer them to support services.

Mr Richardson said: "These people are now getting less support than they were before.

"We agreed to move (from the arches) from 1 May on the understanding that it would trigger some additional support for the people sleeping down there and they would be progressively rehoused and given some assistance.

"The council's reneged on the deal.

"I know it has had financial difficulties and the people who work for the Homeless Outreach Partnership (HOP) are excellent; but it feels like the area has been abandoned.

"So we've taken the decision to move back down there."

Public realm

Under the plans, the arches along the walkway between Cheapside and Forster Square Station would have 3m-high (9.8ft) decorated panels, with new lighting inside.

The council said the changes would lead to a "much improved public realm" around the station.

Network Rail owns the arches and will fund the work, which was scheduled to start in May and be completed by late August.

When the BBC visited the site on Monday there were at least seven tents in various archways with wooden pallets and traffic cones being used to divide sleeping areas.

Many of the arches have become makeshift camps for the city's rough sleepers

Homeless army veteran James, 38, said he knew some of the people sleeping in the arches.

He said: "If they close them off then it's just going to be another headache for the council.

"They're just going to be pushing people back to the city centre and they're going to get complaints over and over again.

"I don't think it'll solve any issues straight away. But I think it'll be nicer for people walking back to the train station, as it does get a bit rowdy, especially at night."

Council involvement

Bradford Council's portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, said: "Our Homeless Outreach Partnership is continuing to visit the Forster Square arches on a daily basis ahead of access to the area being withdrawn later this year.

"This a multi-agency team of professionals, including drug, alcohol, and complex needs workers, as well as specialists in housing options who are able to offer wraparound care to those who need it and to support them off the streets."

Mr Ross-Shaw added that the council wanted to support people to move away from "street-based" living and had offered accommodation to 225 people over the past year.

The arches are a surviving part of the original Victorian station, which was demolished and reduced in size in the 1990s.