Over £250,000 to be spent on improvements in Ironbridge

The last sections of York stone pavements will be replaced, along with litter bins, bollards and railings in the £270,000 scheme.

The investment, from Telford & Wrekin Council, comes just after it spend £400,000 from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund to replace the York stone on The Wharfage, High Street and Tontine Hill removed and replaced with local clay block paving.

To support new works, the council will be putting forward an additional £180,000 from the Highways Capital Programme.

The York stone will be sold on for re-use and any additional investment secured over the project total from the sale will be re-invested back into The Gorge.

Selling the removed stone and efficiencies made during the project has saved the council £90,000.

During the project, the council says it has taken on board comments from residents and will now also be removing the remaining York stone from the top of High Street to the top of Waterloo Road, repairing the footway on the corner of Church Hill and Madeley Road, refurbishing all litter bins along The Wharfage, replacing all bollards on Tontine Hill, replacing and refurbishing railings along The Wharfage from the Museum of the Gorge to the bottom of Tontine Hill and repairing the steps adjacent to the Iron Bridge.

It also plans to resurface the road along The Wharfage, which will be done in January in a bid to minimise disruption to residents and businesses.

Councillor Angela McClements, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for communities, regeneration and transport, said: "These additional improvements will significantly enhance The Wharfage area.

"The new footways have already been positively received by residents, businesses and visitors to the Gorge.

"The main works to the footways are still on track to finish by May 29.

"However, delivery of these additional proposed works will mean an extension of the project so all footway works will be completed by the end of June.

"The additional improvements to bollards and bins will be completed by 22 July in time for the school holidays.

"The nature of the additional works means that impact on traffic will be minimal as the majority of works can be completed without the requirement for traffic management.

"However, I would like to thank all residents, businesses and visitors for their patience this year while we have been carrying out the footway paving scheme.

"Ironbridge and The Gorge are priceless, historic assets and this investment in the infrastructure and appearance of the area will benefit the whole borough for decades to come."