Shrewsbury Gateway Tunnel
The Shrewsbury Gateway Tunnel Mural is The BART’s first working project. Working in collaboration with local organisations, with the aim to clean up and lift the area with large scale art. We want to transform the current pedestrian and road tunnel into a clean, safe, vibrant and engaging space for all to enjoy.
About the Project
The ‘idea’ was born in late 2021 and, having researched and prepared proposals, in February 2024, The BART founder Jane Manning pitched the idea to the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan partners (SBTP).
In March 2024, a steering group was set up and in April 2025 The BART became a registered charity and currently has three trustees.
Project aims
Whether you’re a visitor to Shrewsbury or a resident, the English and Welsh Bridges both provide beautiful, sweeping welcomes to one and all. The ‘Shrewsbury Gateway Tunnel’ however, which forms the third main entrance into our historic town, is in need of some inspired regeneration and is now the centre of our mural project!
The aim of this project is to transform the tunnels within Cross Street and Castle Foregate into a clean, welcoming, safe and inclusive space that is bright, vibrant and informative. The mural project aims to inspire engagement and learning about the town whilst providing local students in further education the opportunity to develop skills and their CVs by engaging in the art and design of the tunnel mural.
Art for everyone
This community-led mural is set to bring the stories of local people, places, hidden histories and folklore of Shrewsbury to life.
If you call Shrewsbury ‘home’ to you or your business, or you’re visiting our wonderful town to discover what this hidden gem has to offer, the Shrewsbury Gateway Tunnel Mural promises a feast of art and education, for everyone.
If you are local to Shropshire and would like to get involved in shaping the creative content of our mural, we would love to hear your ideas!
Project Stages
The Shrewsbury Gateway Tunnel mural project is set out in three separate phases, with phase one already well underway.
Development
PHASE 1
In August 2024 The Shrewsbury Big Town Plan Partners (SBTP) were selected to win £15,000 from the ‘Let’s Celebrate Towns’ Awards by the British Retail Consortium and Visa, and have allocated this funding to the Shrewsbury Gateway Tunnel project.
In September 2024, a collaborative project was set up with Shrewsbury Colleges Group and design concepts for the mural formed one module for a group of first year BTEC art & design students. In July 2025, six students were selected for awards for their work and have been offered an exciting opportunity to form part of a working group, led by professional mural artist Russ Meehan, to develop the final design.
RUSS MEEHAN
Mural Artist
Manchester-based professional artist Russ Meehan has been involved in many mural projects across both his home area in Manchester and around the UK.
'This is his first project that will not involve painting directly onto walls! Instead, he has been working with local students to develop the mural on a smaller scale to be digitally scanned and printed on to Dibond boards and installed directly onto the walls of the tunnel.'
Russ Meehan
Delivery
PHASE 2
There’s a total of 200 metres of walls throughout the Cross Street and Castlefields tunnels! As it is not practical to paint directly onto the walls of the tunnels, the final design artwork will be digitally scanned and then printed onto large scale, special lightweight aluminium composite boards called DiBond. These are easy to erect, clean and maintain - an important aspect of the project. These boards are durable, weatherproof, and graffiti resistant.
Keeping it clean!
PHASE 3
This is an equally critical phase and will include ongoing maintenance and cleaning of the tunnel, board upkeep and replacement of any damaged boards.
The location of the mural, as shown on the map, is from Chester Street into Cross Street and Castlefields, known locally as the Shrewsbury Station gyratory system.
Location
WE NEED YOU!
Help us to shape the Shrewsbury Gateway Tunnel Mural
We’re proposing to transform the railway tunnel by Shrewsbury Train Station into something inspiring - a bold, community-led mural that brings Shrewsbury’s stories to life.
This project, led by registered charity The Big Art Regeneration Trust and the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan partners, is about creating a gateway to our town that feels safe, loved, inclusive and full of local pride.
Our proposal is to clean up the area (which includes working with Network Rail and Shropshire Council on measures to reduce the pigeon population whilst prioritising their welfare) and creating a beautiful mural through the tunnels. We want this mural to reflect the depth and diversity of Shropshire’s places, people, history, and achievements – not just the well-known stories, but also the unsung heroes, hidden histories, and meaningful landscapes that deserve to be recognised.
This is about creating an aspirational space, one that inspires locals and visitors alike, and helps to make underrepresented voices visible.
Following a competition in collaboration with Shrewsbury Colleges Group, we have found our artists and have a basic framework of some of the more well known people, places and history of Shropshire in place (Darwin, Ironbridge, Battle of Shrewsbury etc) that will already be featured. Now, we want your help to shape the content about Shrewsbury and Shropshire that you want represented.
We’re particularly keen to hear about:·
· Interesting stories from Shropshire’s history (all eras – Roman, Tudor, medieval, modern…)
· People who are typically underrepresented in our history e.g. Women, LGBTQ+ figures, minority communities
· People or groups who’ve made a difference but are rarely celebrated
· Folktales, myths, legends and cultural traditions
· Landscapes or places with special meaning
· Ideas that show what Shrewsbury and Shropshire could be known for – not just what it’s famous for now
· Music, songs, or sounds with a local link
The top five most interesting or unexpected suggestions will each receive a £20 voucher for a Shropshire Business of your choice.
LET'S BUILD SOMETHING BRILLIANT TOGETHER.
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