THE full plans for the revamp of Braintree town centre have now been revealed and work is set to get underway in the coming weeks.

The pedestrianisation scheme, which will cost around £3m, will see High Street, Great Square, Bank Street, Market Place and Fairfield Road upgraded.

Council bosses say they hope the improvements will help to reshape the town centre's future for the better.

Here is everything we know about the scheme and what we can expect to see in the coming months:

What's been done already?

A number of changes have already been made to Bank Street, where 17 new disabled parking spaces have been installed. This has been done to due to the eventual loss of disabled spaces in Market Place.

Gazette:

Fairfield Road has also been altered to make space for a southbound bus and cycle lane. This has been put in to make it easier for busses to travel around the town centre when the impending traffic ban is put in place.

What's left to do?

From Monday, August 24, work will begin on the rest of Bank Street, near to the entrance with George Yard shopping centre.

weeks.

The area is set to be resurfaced to address concerns about uneven pavements, which have been regularly criticised by

residents.

Contractors will then move on to resurfacing High Street, as well as adding new street furniture and trees. They also plan to install three disabled parking spaces in St Michael's Lane.

Gazette:

Bosses say a resin surface will be installed in the middle of High Street to provide a flat and reliable surface.

Monsoon lights are also being put up to make it easier for Christmas decorations to be installed.

Once work is completed in High Street, contractors will turn their attentions to Market Place and finally Great Square.

Resurfacing and the installation of street furniture will also be taking place along the roads.

When will it be finished?

Gazette:

All being well, the improvements will be complete by January 2021 - so in just six months time.

Bosses have long insisted they want it to be finished before the Manor Street regeneration project, which us due for completion in 12 months time, is done.

What will the traffic ban mean?

A ban on the majority of traffic heading through the town centre will be enforced from Monday, August 24.

It includes most vehicles such as busses and cars.

Access for emergency vehicles and waste collections will however be available at all times.

Gazette:

An exception is also being made for deliveries. Deliveries will be permitted along High Street between 6am and 10am. They will be given access to High Street via Bank Street.

However, bosses will be encouraging businesses and drivers to use service yards around the town centre where possible.

The impending ban on traffic means the disabled parking in Great Square and Market Place will also be suspended, with motorists encouraged to make use of the 17 new spaces installed in Bank Street.

What new additions will we be seeing?

Along with the obvious changes to the pavements, a host of new features are being installed to make the town centre more attractive for visitors.

These include the planting of new tress and installation of seating areas in Market Place and High Street.

New lighting, CCTV, Wi-Fi, more infrastructure and cycle parking on the edge of the pedestrianised areas are also set to be added, as well as electricity points to power market stalls and allow special events to

happen in different parts of the town centre.

The map below shows the exact plan for each area.

Gazette:

How can I keep up to date on the works?

Braintree Council will be keeping residents updated on the scheme via a dedicated pedestrianisation webpage.

Information about any disruption and changes to bus stops will also be available.