Significant development is set to “smarten up” a busy town centre, making it more accessible to those who visit it.

The plans, which will take place along Watford High Street from January until September 2018, hope to improve the area as a whole by reducing the amount of traffic there.

Watford Borough Council noted that, while it will cause inevitable disruption, the transformation will be of great benefit to the whole town.

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “We’re widening pavements, stopping vehicles from illegally driving through the town centre and generally smartening the whole place up.

“It will mean a more attractive, less polluted, pedestrian and cycle friendly town centre.

“And I hope that older residents and families in particular will feel safer, with more space and less traffic coming through.

“The improvement works will lead to some disruption in the High Street – there’s no getting away from that.

“But the end results will absolutely make this worth it. Come autumn, we will all benefit from the tremendous upgrades to the intu centre and the High Street, so thank you for your patience.”

The borough council, in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council, is carrying out the programme in two phases.

From January to June, it will focus on renovating the High Street between Clarendon Road – just past Watford Palace Theatre – to Market Street.

Between June and September, work will be carried out from 102 High Street – outside Café Nero – to Market Street.

Work will take place between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday and between 8am and 1pm on Saturdays.

A number of buses will be diverted from their usual route through the town centre and bus users are urged to check before they travel by visiting intalink.org.uk

For more information and the High Street improvement programme, visit watford.gov.uk/highstreetimprovements