THE planned £3 million refurbishment of Broad Street in Hereford has been put on hold.

Herefordshire Council today revealed it is putting the major upgrade on hold after listening to concerns from members of the public and traders.

Councillor Graham Powell, cabinet member for infrastructure, said it had become clear following consultation that "now is not the right time" for an overhaul of a city centre street,

Instead, the council will carry out a major expansion of city cycle networks - from extending the cycle network to Clehonger, providing a cycle route along Whitecross Road and Kings Acre Road and providing direct cycle access to the city centre from St Owen’s Street.

It has "reallocated" funding for the Broad Street development to pay for the pedestrian and cycling projects.

The funding comes from Destination Hereford: a wider programme funded by the Department of Transport which aims to reduce congestion, cut carbon transport use and boost sustainable growth.

  • Read more on this in Thursday's Hereford Times.

The planned overhaul of Broad Street was being designed by Ben Hamilton-Baillie, the architect behind the refurbishment of Widemarsh Street. 

He had drawn up an artist's impression of what the street might look like after its £3m overhaul.