A £22m regeneration project to upgrade parts of a seaside town in Kent is now more than halfway complete.
Work has been ongoing at seven different sites in Folkestone, a popular tourist destination, for 10 months.
A new linear bus station in Middleburg Square is now scheduled for development, with permanent bus shelters and improvements to footways on Cheriton Place also planned.
The current Bouverie Square bus station, found near the shopping centre of the same name, will also undergo regeneration with the hopes of turning it into a public garden square with greenery and a play area.
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The works are part of Folkestone’s “A Brighter Future Project”, which aims to make the town easier to navigate via improvements to the road system and links to the town centre.
This includes a series of new and improved crossings, footbridges and two-way traffic flow at Middleburg Square.
A 20mph speed limit has also been proposed by the council across much of the centre of Folkestone, too.
Some roads have been blocked to vehicles during the project.
Councillor James Butcher, cabinet member for Place Plan, Heritage, Tourism and District Economy, said: “With a scheme this complex, disruption is unavoidable and we appreciate how frustrating this can be.
“I’d like to thank residents, businesses and visitors for their patience while we shape a brighter future for Folkestone town centre.”
Folkestone in Kent has been in the spotlight in recent years, including being awarded the best place to live in the South East by The Times in 2024.
The town attracts many visitors to its independent shops, seaside culinary scene, large beach and Folkestone Triennial art festival.
Read more: Could this seaside town in Kent be the UK’s answer to Venice?
