New lease of life for city street

Managers say disruption will be kept to minimum

Work on a £19m revamp project in Leicester has begun with diggers moving on to a main shopping street.

Gallowtree Gate is being excavated in sections, with pavements being ripped up and temporary Tarmac surfaces put in place until April.

Bridges will provide access to shops and shoppers have been told work will be carried out as soon as possible.

Improvements to Gallowtree gate will include new granite benches, pavements and lighting.

'Quality city'

Cabinet member for city centre regeneration, Cllr Roman Scuplak, said: "This stage of the works is not going to look pretty and I apologise for the inconvenience that will inevitably be caused.

"For the next three months or so, Gallowtree Gate will not be looking its best but work will be carried out as quickly as possible and in a way that will minimise disruption to shoppers and traders."

Work will also soon be starting on the Pocklington's Walk pavements - where new block paving will be laid - and on part of Horsefair Street, where the footways will be repaved with granite.

High Street, the Clock Tower area and other streets in the city centre will also be transformed over the next three years in time for the completion of the new Shires shopping centre in 2008.