Main Harborough road is run down and needs to be seriously overhauled, claim two councillors

The call to arms to urgently improve and enhance St Mary’s Road is being made by Liberal Democrat district councillors Phil Knowles and Peter James.

They are both urging Harborough District Council to work alongside Leicestershire County Council and grab the “golden opportunity” to bring the major route into the 2020s.

Cllr Knowles, who heads up the Liberal Democrats on Harborough council, said: “St Mary’s Road has unfortunately seriously declined and deteriorated over the last few years.

“And this highly-regrettable situation has to be tackled – and now.

“We have damaged posts and snapped-off trees while some of the pavement and kerbs also need attention.”

He added: “We have a beautiful market town here and St Mary’s Road comes nowhere near doing Market Harborough justice.

“So I’m appealing to our council to leap into action now and act to whip this crucial road into shape.”

Cllr James, the ward councillor for Little Bowden, told us: “St Mary’s Road is one of our major arterial routes in and out of Market Harborough.

“It’s a crying shame to see how far it’s gone backwards over the last few years.

“It’s probably the first road that people getting off the train at the rail station travel along to go into town.

“First impressions are long-lasting and vital,” said Cllr James.

“The residents of Market Harborough and our many visitors expect much better than the worn-out and tired-looking St Mary’s Road we’ve got now.

“So I do hope that one way or another the district and county councils will move to put this right much sooner rather than later.”

Asked for a response, Harborough council pointed us towards the county council’s Highways department.

Cllr Ozzy O’ Shea, the county council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, is now pledging to run the rule over St Mary’s Road and to carry out any “necessary work” on health and safety grounds.

He said: “We’re thankful for this being brought to our attention.

“Limited funds mean that any work undertaken must be for safety reasons

“Our officers will now inspect the locations and complete any necessary work.”