A MAJOR revamp of a busy Leicester shopping street is nearly complete, with resurfacing of the main carriageway due to begin next week.
Leicester City Council is carrying out works to widen footpaths and create more space for pedestrians on a stretch of Granby Street, between its junctions with Dover Street and Rutland Street/Belvoir Street.
Former pay and display parking bays along Granby Street – which have been out of use for more than three years – have been converted into wider, high-quality footpaths with space for outdoor café seating areas and to help improve the route between the city centre and the railway station.
Now the city council is preparing to resurface the main carriageway of Granby Street, between its junction with Dover Street and Belvoir Street/Rutland Street.
Work is due to begin on Sunday 17 November and will require the stretch of road to be closed to all traffic for up to one week.
Well sign-posted diversions will be in place.
The works are part of wider, ongoing investment to improve the street scene and shopping environment of Granby Street. This includes the restoration of the landmark Grand Hotel building façade and its historic shopfronts, funded through the city councils successful bid for High Street Heritage Action Zone funding from Historic England.
All highway improvement works are due to be complete by the end of November.
Additional on-street parking bays have been created on nearby Chatham Street, York Street and Calais Street to replace those lost on Granby Street.
Cllr Geoff Whittle, assistant city mayor for environment and transport, said: “Granby Street is an important gateway into the city centre and a busy shopping street.
“These ongoing improvements will help create a more attractive route for walkers, wheelers and cyclists with more space for shoppers and café-style seating. Alongside the major heritage led investment in restoring landmark buildings, this work will help make Granby Street feel safer and more welcoming to all.”
A final phase of work – currently planned for early next year – will permanently close the junction of Dover Street and Granby Street to motor vehicles, to help further improve pedestrian safety. A new turning facility on Dover Street will be created to ensure that vehicles can continue to access nearby businesses and attractions, including The Little Theatre.