The busy shopping street linking the railway station to Leicester city centre is the target of plans for major improvements.
Granby Street is expected to receive a huge revamp between Northampton Street and the inner ring road at St Georges Way.
The footfall for this area includes a multitude of the visitors to the city which is why these renovations are taking place—creating a more welcoming gateway into the city centre. Changes also include improvements to help make the route safer and more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists.
Reconstructions to the pedestrian area include levelling surfaces, brightening the route with red asphalt and a continuation of the existing vianova block paving, all of which should improve the appearance and safety of the area. Automated bollards will also be installed at the entry and exit points.
New trees are expected to be planted around the area, and cycle parking stations are also planned along with the possible introduction of a new docking station as part of the city’s new e-bike share scheme, Santander Cycles Leicester.
The existing contraflow cycle lane between Dover Street and the inner ring road is expected to see changes too, and 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.
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.”
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). The project is expected to take 9 months to complete and should begin this summer.
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.”
You can view the plans on the city council website here.
By Sam Ellison
