A WATER cascade and pulsating light columns could feature in Darlington's £6.5m town centre pedestrianisation scheme.

They were two of the ideas announced at Monday's meeting of the council's town centre and transport forum.

Other details revealed included a plan to move the Joseph Pease statue slightly, making it a more prominent feature at the Bondgate/Northgate end of the "pedestrian heart".

The twice weekly outdoor market will be "wrapped around" the indoor market on West Row, Tubwell Row and Horsemarket, making it more prominent.

Cafs will be encouraged in the market place, which will be used more for events, as will the market cross and that end of Blackwellgate and High Row, where there will be an amphitheatre.

John Buxton, director of development and the environment, said a water cascade opposite the indoor market would create a gentle background noise to a quiet seating area.

"The water feature signifies the location of the market historically and the washing down of the streets at the end of the day," he said.

"The bar code design represents a local product of Darlington. The cascade will also be lit at night to create a vibrant, dynamic feature and focal point to the space."

The cascade was the brainchild of artist Michael Pinsky, who is also looking at adapting existing lighting columns into a Life Pulse feature.

When people put their hands on either side, the columns would register their heart rates and illuminate them, creating ever-changing rhythms and patterns between the lights.

Darlington's town centre buildings date from 1700 onwards and there are lighting plans to emphasise their architectural development.

"Through the duration of an evening, each period of architecture would have its moment of glory," said Mr Buxton.

On a more practical, but still artistic, note there would be reactive bus stops with screens displaying how long the next bus will be.

"The same data will be translated into a control system that will change the colour of the bus stop, " he said. "LED strips on bus shelters will change from blue to an intense red as the bus approaches the stop.

"Beyond the beauty of form itself, people will be able to see at a glance whether they need to rush over to the bus stop or whether they can grab some shopping first."

A dedicated one-way bus loop will be created around Priestgate, Prebend Row and Tubwell Row to provide transport into the heart of the town centre.

This will create a large new pedestrian space along High Row, West Row, Blackwellgate, Northgate and Prospect Place.

New steps down from High Row to West Row will include two ramps, with handrails, to provide disabled access.

The council is also working on a scheme for the inner ring road which will include bus lanes and improvements at the junctions of Stonebridge and St Cuthbert's Way, and Bondgate and Greenbank Road.

There will also be improved pedestrian and cycle crossing places in St Cuthbert's Way, St Augustine's Way and Bondgate.