New Year brings new look for Merrion Street

Work will begin in the New Year on a project to spruce up one of the city’s busiest night spots.

The first week of January 2023 will see the lower end of Merrion Street benefit from a number of improvement works as part of a wider scheme to enhance key spaces across the city centre whilst also improving safety.

Scheduled to begin on January 3 and finishing in March, the work on lower Merrion Street will include complete resurfacing with new materials along with the installation of new security bollards and the 24-hour pedestrianisation of the street.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “Merrion Street is one of the city’s busiest and most popular night spots and is home to a number of businesses which make a significant contribution to the local economy.

“It’s good to see that this thriving part of Leeds will be getting 2023 off to a great start with some important improvements that will benefit both those businesses and their customers.

“Working with partners in the sector, we’ve undertaken a number of enhancement and security projects which will ensure people can enjoy their night out in a modern, vibrant and safe setting.”

The Merrion Street project, funded by the council, will cost around £250,000 is the latest in a series of recent improvement schemes in some of the city’s key night life areas.

In 2020, Greek Street was transformed with a new level surface of granite paving, new feature lighting, CCTV and a vehicle access control system.

And earlier this year, New Briggate benefitted from a new traffic-free space including new trees, benches, ‘street café’ seating and the introduction of a new street-food trading pitch.

Other city centre streets including Briggate and Lands Lane have also seen the installation of remotely controlled, lowerable bollards as part of a city-wide, hi-tech system designed to stop unauthorised vehicles.

ENDS