A town is set to benefit from almost £100,000 worth of highways improvements.

Shefford has been allocated £99,000 as part of a wider Central Bedfordshire Council scheme costing almost £800,000 to improve roads, cycle paths and pedestrian crossings.

A new pedestrian crossing costing £65,000 on Old Bridge Way and a traffic island at the A507 and Greenway Campton junction costing £34,000 have been earmarked for delivery in 2014/15,

The schemes are based on transport studies and consultation with residents and ward members and work is expected to begin on the projects in April.

The Local Area Transport Plan for Shefford, Silsoe and Shillington has an allocation of £102,400 for the 2014/15 financial year and a meeting was held in November of last year to decide which schemes the funding should be given to.

Cllr Tony Brown, said: “This is excellent news for all residents – whether they are pedestrians or road users. Making sure journeys are easy, safe, convenient and even enjoyable are part and parcel of our commitment to make Central Bedfordshire a great place to live and work.

“Working in partnership with town and parish councils our Rural Match Fund takes things one step further. It really shows how with just a little bit of money you can make an enormous difference in an area that really will experience the benefits.”