Balfour Beatty has appointed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to carry out the first phase of works of the £30m plan to transform Exhibition Road into a "shared" space for cars and pedestrians.

The project, which is being managed by Schal will begin in the New Year by unravelling the one way system around South Kensington Station.


This will improve traffic flow; provide new direct pedestrian crossings and more pavement space, greatly improving pedestrian safety and driving conditions for motorists.

The second phase which is now out to tender is for the paving works which is proposed to be in granite in a 'diamond' pattern. Subject to funding, it is hoped that these works will start in the autumn of 2009.

Steve Child, Schal's Director, said: "This is a most ambitious development that demonstrates the Royal Borough's commitment to improving the public realm. It also demonstrates the expertise of TPS in working with clients to deliver innovative and technically challenging projects."

(GK/JM)