A LONG-awaited refurbishment of the Southampton Road area in central Ringwood is to begin on Monday.

The £349,000 scheme will be carried out in two phases, part one taking in Southampton Road, The Close and the Mansfield Road pedestrian crossing, with phase two improving the link between the shops, Meeting House Lane and the Furlong car park.

In Southampton Road, a narrow ramp will bring the road surface level with the pavements which is designed to create a balance between pedestrians and vehicles.

Paving materials and street furniture will slow traffic.

The pedestrian crossing on Mansfield Road will be upgraded from a puffin type to a toucan to link in with a cycle route.

To allow work to be carried out safely, Southampton Road will be closed from the High Street to Mansfield Road for much of the time until completion at the end of November.

Ringwood Town Council has contributed more than £5,000 to the project and there has also been a financial input by New Forest District Council through developers’ contributions.

Town council clerk Terry Simpson said the scheme was intended to begin before the summer but had been held up for various reasons.

“We’re absolutely delighted. We’ve been working on this for quite a long time.

“It’s one of the things that came out of the town plan because it was a bit of a mess and wanted improving and it will make Southampton Road a lot more attractive,” he said.

Hampshire county councillor Mel Kendal said: “This scheme will help to improve the economic health of the town by improving access and encouraging shoppers into the street.”