Torquay’s Fleet Street  has reopened to buses after being closed for almost 12 weeks.  Fleet Street is expected to continue to face disruption throughout Easter.
The closure of Fleet Street has meant that local bus services, which would drop off shoppers into the town centre, have had to drop people off on both Abbey Road and also Torbay Road.
Fleet Street closure causes disruption
Work started on improving the top end of Fleet Street on the 8th January and has caused well over 12 weeks of disruption for shoppers and also for the local businesses that trade along the main Fleet Street corridor.
Speaking prior to the improvements, Cllr Robert Excell, Executive Lead for Community Services, said:
I am pleased to see the third and final phase of the Fleet Street Regeneration scheme getting underway, which will complete this major investment into this part of Torquay Town Centre.
The original pedestrian priority scheme in Fleet Street was implemented around 28 years ago and the block paving had reached the end of its life, resulting in constant maintenance costs and promoting a poor image of the Town. The previous two phases have already demonstrated an improved street scene and this theme will now be continued along the full length of Fleet Street.
Unfortunately, as with all works of this nature there will be disruption to businesses and pedestrians. However, as demonstrated in the previous two phases, this can be managed to allow the street to continue to trade and we are liaising with the bus operators to arrange alternative provisions during this time.
The work which, once finished, will see granite kerbs, slabs and blocks, the central bus lane being fully reconstructed and brand new drainage and gullies will also be installed with new street furniture.
This part. of the project is considered to be the third and final part of the highway implements as part of the regeneration of Fleet Street.
Princess Gardens Fountain restoration, almost complete
Along side the reopening of Fleet Street we have also heard that the Grade II listed Princess Gardens Fountain is also approaching it’s final round of restoration improvements.
Contractors, MW Benney Building Contractors & Newton Forge, will be transporting the fountain back to Torquay in stages. Â Once in situ it is thought that landscaping can then begin.
Initially developing a tilt, the fountain was dismantled towards the end of last year before a thorough assessment took place to determine the scale of the restoration work.
The restoration work is part of an ongoing regeneration of the Princess Gardens are that was approved by Torbay Council’s Development Management Committee.
Funds were obtained from income that is brought to the bay via the Wheel and Carousel together with planning obligation contributions.
