Yorkshire Street in Burnley to be closed until end of August as part of Town 2 Turf project

As revealed recently in the Burnley Express, improvement work to the culvert and surrounding roads was due to be completed in time for the start of the Prmeier League season, which kicks off this Friday evening in Burnley when the Clarets host champions Manchester City.

However, closures are set to be in place until the end of August to allow more work to be done.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: “We've extended the closure of Yorkshire Street to allow some more work to take place in this area and reduce overall disruption by avoiding having to close the road again later in the year when traffic levels have returned to normal following the school holidays.

“This work involves some further maintenance and cleaning to the masonry walls of the aqueduct to make the area more welcoming, and some work focused on widening the pavements and improving drainage under the aqueduct.

“We have now further extended the closure until Friday August 25th following some delays to the maintenance to the bridge due to poor weather. We're sorry for the added disruption, and grateful for people's patience while we make these significant improvements.”

The extended closure was discussed with the police due to the impact on Burnley FC matchdays, and bus companies have been informed.

Motorists and pedestrians will have noticed this week that the roundabout at the junction of Yorkshire Street and Church Street, has now virtually been demolished.

The work is part of the £6m. Town 2 Turf regeneration plan, designed to improve links between Burnley town centre and Turf Moor.

The scheme will see the roundabout being replaced by a traffic light junction with pedestrian crossings, the subway under Centenary Way being closed and the area landscaped, changes to the road system around the bus station, new pedestrian crossings, and improved paving, seating, and lighting.

It forms part of wider plans to create a “regeneration corridor” from one side of the town centre to the other, from the Weavers’ Triangle through to Turf Moor.

It is being funded through Levelling Up grant money and other funding and undertaken in partnership between Burnley Council, Lancashire County Council and Burnley Football Club.