A total of £128,000 will be spent to spruce up Bicester town centre during the next three years.

Street direction signs, pedestrian priority schemes and other amenities are expected to be provided under the Bicester Town Centre Initiative.

Cash for the improvements has come from three sources - £60,000 from Southern Arts, £48,000 from Cherwell District Council and £20,000 from Bicester Town Council.

The impetus for the project came after Cherwell won a bid for town centre money from Southern Arts.

The district and town councils followed on with their contributions.

Norman Bolster, a town and district councillor, said: "I welcome anything that can help improve the town centre."

Cherwell's arts and tourism manager, Nicola Riley, said they wanted the project to involve as many sectors of the community as possible.

"The initiative is really about looking at Bicester town centre to make sure that people are consulted on any changes that might happen," said Miss Riley.

An aspect to be investigated is a pedestrian priority scheme in Market Square that may differ from an earlier proposal by Cherwell to close off the road on the Crown Walk side with two-way traffic on the Barclay's Bank side.

This idea was set to go ahead but was delayed when Cherwell decided to concentrate first on new traffic regulations in the Sheep Street precinct.

The regulations included changing the times that delivery lorries could operate and encouraging disabled people with orange badges for their cars to use Shopmobility buggies and wheelchairs more extensively.

Miss Riley said that direction signs might be altered to point out prominent places such as the public library in Old Place Yard.

More art would also be included in the revamped town centre.

Young people at The Courtyard youth and arts centre in Launton Road will be asked for suggestions.

The initiative was also backed by Bicester Village.

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