THE next phase of a rolling programme to repair and improve pavements, street furniture and bollards along Melton Road is now underway.
Leicester City Council is carrying out the scheme to spruce up public areas for local businesses and residents.
Old, uneven and broken slabs will be replaced with high-quality block paving. Existing tree pits will be covered with a porous resin-bound material to help improve drainage, and new drainage channels will also be installed where required. Damage footpaths caused by tree roots will be repaired. New bollards, as well as new cycle racks where possible, will also be installed to prevent vehicles parking on the pavement.
The improvement work is being carried out between Ascot Road and Herbert Road, on the outbound side of Melton Road, and between Acorn Street and Marfitt Street, on the inbound side.
Work will be carried out in sections to help minimise disruption to pedestrians and nearby businesses and is expected to take around 50 weeks to complete.
To ensure a safe working environment, some short-term lane restrictions on part of Melton Road may be required. These will be managed with temporary traffic signals.
The work, which will cost around £685,000, is being funded through the city council’s annual highways maintenance programme.
It will be the second phase of a planned programme of investment to improve several sections of footway along Melton Road in coming years, subject to funding. Work to replace the existing uneven pavement on the outbound stretch of the busy shopping street, between Ascot Road and Checketts Road, was carried out last year.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “This ongoing investment in repairing and replacing broken and uneven pavements on Melton Road will help improve the look and feel of area and make it more attractive for residents and shoppers.
“Projects like this are an important part of ensuring that our neighbourhood shopping streets and busy routes into the city stay looking their best.”
The Melton Road scheme is taking a similar approach to improvements recently completed on Narborough Road, following a three-year rolling programme of investment to repair and spruce up sections of footway.
Letters have been sent to local residents and businesses informing them of the work.