TWO “tired and outdated” city streets are set to be given a major makeover.

Worcestershire County Council has revealed a new look for The Shambles and Church Street.

Included in the scheme are plans to widen footpaths, introduce segregated loading bays, remove obstructions, plant street trees and carry out other updates to improve the overall look and feel of the two streets.

The plans come four years after the death of Sylvia Russell, who was crushed by a bin lorry outside Argos in The Shambles in 2014.

Miss Russell died, aged 69, after being crushed by a Smith’s Waste Management of Gloucester truck.

At the time, calls were made for an extension to the hours that delivery lorries were barred from entering the city’s pedestrianised areas and many said that the city centre street should be fully pedestrianised.

However, Councillor Ken Pollock, Worcestershire county council’s cabinet member with responsibility for economy and infrastructure, said that although the new loading bays were a “sensible” move, Mrs Russell’s death was not the primary motivator for them.

He said: “The work is part of what we want to do in the city of Worcester. It’s part of our general improvement of a number of the roads in the county from Redditch through to Tenbury.”

The county council's town and city centre improvements programme aims to carry out the makeover in the new year once Severn Trent has completed its mains renewal work. The scheme is being delivered in partnership with Worcester city council which is also jointly funding the project.

Councillor Pollock added: “I’m delighted to announce this much needed scheme to improve two important streets that lie at the heart of Worcester city. Both are within the Worcester Historic City Conservation Area and will complement the improvements made in other areas of the city over the last few years.”

People have been invited to view the plans and talk to the project team at two public information sessions. The main improvement works will start in Spring.

These sessions will be at the Guildhall from 4pm to 7pm on Tuesday, December 11 and from 11am to 2pm on Wednesday, December 12. More information can be found at worcestershire.gov.uk/shambles and any comments can be submitted via email majorprojects@worcestershire.gov.uk by December 28.