Town centre paving works start Monday

Road closures will be in place from Monday to enable road repairs and maintenance works to be carried out

ROAD repairs and maintenance works costing £49,000 will be carried out in five Newbury town centre streets from Monday (February 7), resulting in several road closures.

The works will include the maintenance of the paving in Northbrook Street, Newbury, which was laid five years ago, in Market Place, Bartholomew Street North, Mansion House Street, and Wharf Street.

Market Place, along with Mansion House Street and access to it from Wharf Street, will be closed to traffic for two weeks from Monday, February 7 until Saturday, February 19.

Pedestrian access to shops will not be affected, nor will deliveries, and areas will be kept clear for the market to operate as usual.

Instead of using the rank in Market Place, taxis will be operating from the 'feeder' rank in Wharf Street.

Bus diversions will be in place using the A339, Bear Lane, Cheap Street and London Road and there will be temporary bus stops installed in London Road for passengers wanting to access the north end of town.

West Berkshire's executive councillor responsible for Newbury ‘Visions', Pamela Bale (Con, Pangbourne) said: "Town centre stakeholders and residents have been asking for the remedial work to be carried out.

"Doing the work now will ensure that the town centre including Market Place and the main shopping streets will look their very best for the planned events in the spring and summer and for the opening of Parkway."

In 2005, the council announced that £500,000 of revamp works would be carried out in Northbrook street, although by 2006 the works had cost £800,000.

Northbrook Street was pedestrianised, curbs were removed and street furniture improved.

At the time, traders complained about the slump in sales they suffered from while the works were taking place.