Information on Loughborough

Funding boost for Loughborough town centre improvements

Posted on 27/12/2008

Leicestershire Councty Council Highways, Transportation & Waste Management

3 November 2008

Funding boost for Loughborough town centre improvements

Plans for £16 million improvements for Loughborough town centre took a significant step forward today.

The Department for Transport announced that the scheme has made its future transport funding shortlist.

The improvements involve completing the inner relief road, pedestrianising Swan Street, Market Place, High Street and Baxter Gate and adding high-quality bus stops.

Nicholas Rushton, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation said: “Making the shortlist is probably the biggest hurdle for the inner relief road, and now we can start work on the next stage towards getting the funding.

"If we get the final go-ahead, the improvements would be a major boost for Loughborough town centre, taking away a lot of through traffic and reducing noise and pollution, as well as making the area safer.”

The improvements would not only contribute to the regeneration of the town centre, through Charnwood Borough Council’s Town Centre Masterplan, but pedestrianisation would also improve safety on the A6 in the town centre. This area sees more than 20,000 pedestrian journeys each day and is used by 11,000 vehicles.

The Governments approval means the next stage of scheme development can now begin. This includes detailed development of the town centre improvements including new bus stops and Star-Trak real time bus information.

This stage will also include publication of compulsory purchase and side road orders needed to acquire land and alter existing roads and accesses required to complete the inner relief road. It is anticipated that work could start on the town centre improvements in two years’ time.

More information on the Loughborough Town Centre Transport scheme

Notes for Editors:

The Loughborough Town Centre Transport scheme has been awarded Programme Entry by the Department for Transport. This is the first stage of a three-stage funding approval process. The three stages are;

1. Programme Entry This is not a guarantee of funding, or its timing, but is intended to give authorities confidence to proceed with the development of the scheme, and in particular to apply for necessary statutory powers.

2. Conditional Approval This is an intermediate stage that normally occurs following the granting of statutory powers, but before a firm price for the works is established.

3.Full Approval this is only given once firm prices for the works are available, normally when tendering is complete.