Plans have been unveiled for a £1.9 million road upgrade scheme in Leicester.

The Belgrave Gate improvement scheme would see a 'safer and more attractive route' created for pedestrians and cyclists along a stretch of Belgrave Gate, from the new Haymarket Bus Station to Belgrave Circle.

The off-road cycle lane will run on both sides of Belgrave Gate, between Abbey Street and Burleys Way, including footpaths. The road will be narrowed, with traffic lanes reduced to one in each direction, as well as being resurfaced with bus stops and new loading bays built in.

Other highlights include improvements to the Burleys Way roundabout featuring a new shared footpath and cycleway running underneath the flyover, while existing Lotus Flowers public art could be relocated to nearby Archdeacon Lane next to Charter Street. A new bridge is due to be installed to provide an additional entrance into Abbey Park.

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North of Burleys Way, a separate cycleway and footpath will be created along the central reservation, to link in with improvements made to Belgrave Circle following the removal of the flyover. This will require the removal of the existing inbound bus lane between Melton Street and St Mark's Street.

All pedestrian crossings along the route will be improved and upgraded, and roads will be resurfaced. Footpaths will be built with resin-bound gravel or high quality block, to match other recent city centre street improvement schemes carried out as part of the Connecting Leicester programme.

If approved, work is expected to begin in January and could take up to a year to complete.

City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: "This latest phase of the Connecting Leicester programme will help create much more attractive route from the city centre out to the Abbey Park and the Golden Mile.

"It will provide a much safer route for cyclists, adding to the growing network of new cycleways in and around the city centre. We also want to make better use of the space under the Burleys Way flyover and open it up to pedestrians and cyclists.

"This is part of a much wider ambition which – over the next two to three years – will also see the areas around the soon-to-be reopened Haymarket Theatre and the Clock Tower completely revamped."

(LM/MH)