Council officials have insisted public consultation over the latest phase of a major city infrastructure project has been ‘extensive’ as funding was agreed.

Glasgow City Council agreed last week to award £8 million for the next part of the Avenues project.

The plans will see Duke Street and John Knox Street in Glasgow’s East End revamped to make them “more attractive and easier to get around”. Work is scheduled to start in January next year and will include new bike lanes and road and footway resurfacing.

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Work will focus on the High Street to Bellgrove Street section of Duke Street and the Castle Street to Duke Street part of John Knox Street.

Funding for the Avenues Plus project comes from the Places for Everyone programme, an active travel infrastructure scheme backed by the Scottish Government and administered by Sustrans Scotland.

It is running alongside the wider Avenues programme, which is funded by the Glasgow City Region City Deal — a £1bn infrastructure investment from both the UK and Scottish governments.

The project was discussed at last week’s contracts and property committee where elected members approved the £7.95m contract to Rainton Construction Ltd.

During the meeting, Councillor Philip Braat said: “What public consultation has there been with the local community about these proposed works?”

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A council officer responded: “There has been extensive consultation on-street where we have held events at High Street during the concept design and with local community councils – right the way through design.

“Now we are at the point of progressing to construction, there have been recent social media posts and we are also going to be starting a campaign of letting people know in terms of the construction process.

“This is a Sustrans-funded project so embedded within that is an element of public engagement consultation and talking to locals about what the design looks like and how it develops.”