A DATE has been set for improvements works to begin in a well-used Romsey street as part of a million-pound scheme.

Bell Street is the latest piece of the town centre upgrade and civic chiefs have now announced it will be starting on September 4.

This is expected to take 28 weeks to complete.

The scheme is aimed at improving the overall accessibility to the area by widening the existing footways and resurfacing them in York stone, in keeping with the improvements in Church Street, which were completed last year.

The carriageway will be narrowed in order to reduce vehicles speeds and the footway and carriageway will be at one level to aid accessibility. A new drainage system will also be introduced to reduce the risk of flooding and maintenance required.

There will be a raised crossing at the entry to Bell Street and Broadwater Road to act as a gateway to Bell Street.

The works will be split into two phases (with the first phase starting in September) to allow Bell Street to reopen for the Christmas period. The second phase will commence between January and May 2018. This will be to minimise the overall disruption to local businesses.

As reported, the Bell Street works are the second phase of plans to enhance the town.

The final phase will include making the Market Place a more welcoming and pedestrian-friendly area.

Earlier this year councillors on the scheme’s Project Board agreed to push forward with plans to enhance Market Place and unanimously agreed to create a more welcoming location to encourage a café culture.

Speaking about the works, leader of the Hampshire County Council, Cllr Roy Perry, said: “The plan to change the pedestrian area of Market Place, so it’s able to accommodate more community events and attract even greater numbers of visitors, was the subject of extensive public consultation. The option chosen was the one which received the majority of public support.

“We continue to work closely with our colleagues at Test Valley Borough Council, and listen to locals, so Romsey continues to prosper in the future.”