MAJOR improvements are planned for a busy shopping street that links Leicester city centre and the railway station.
Leicester City Council is planning to revamp and pedestrianise a stretch of Granby Street between its junctions with Northampton Street and the inner ring road at St Georges Way.
The aim is a create a more welcoming gateway into the city centre and help make the route safer and more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists.
The pedestrianised area will be reconstructed to create a level surface, finished in red asphalt and a continuation of the existing vianova block paving. Automated bollards will be installed at the entry and exit points.
Changes will also be made to the existing contraflow cycle lane between Dover Street and the inner ring road. The Dover Street junction with Granby Street will be closed to general traffic, with alterations made to Dover Street to maintain local access.
Improvements are also planned for Northampton Street, where the existing footpaths will be widened, and a new loading bay created.
New tree planting and cycle parking are also planned, and the area could see the introduction of a new docking station as part of the city’s new e-bike share scheme, Santander Cycles Leicester.
Deputy city mayor Adam Clarke, who leads on environment and transportation, said: “This part of Granby Street is a major gateway into the city centre for people arriving in Leicester by train and is a busy shopping area in its own right. It links directly to the super crossing on St George’s Way and is an important route for anyone walking or cycling into the city centre.
“These improvements will make the route more welcoming and safer for pedestrians and cyclists, while having minimal impact on motorists. It’s been more than ten years since the underpass beneath the ring road was filled and now is a good time to revisit the area and improve it further.”
Work is expected to begin this summer and will take around nine months to complete.
The scheme is estimated to cost around £900,000 and will be supported through the Getting Building Fund, a pot of government funding awarded to the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) for shovel-ready infrastructure projects to create jobs and support economic recovery.
Kevin Harris is Chair of the LLEP Board of Directors. He said: "Granby Street is the gateway to Leicester City Centre: the first port of call for visitors to our city. I’m very pleased, therefore, that this project will help prioritise those visitors that make the journey via public transport and help us to meet our targets for sustainable travel and carbon reduction.
“These improvements to Leicester's public realm will result in a better quality of life for Leicester's residents, increased economic opportunity for local businesses, and increased access to the St Georges' and Cultural Quarter areas, which are vibrant parts of the city centre and key to the local economy."
Letters have been sent to over 300 properties in the nearby area. The plans are also available to view on the city council website here. People can comment on the scheme by emailing transport.strategy@leicester.gov.uk by Friday 14 May 2021.
Granby Street also forms part of the new High Street Heritage Action Zone. The scheme will offer grant funding to support heritage-led improvements and repairs to historic properties in the area and help bring commercial units back into use. The scheme is due to launch this summer. For more information email LeicesterHAZ@leicester.gov.uk