WORK on a multi-million pound project to transform Sauchiehall Street has begun.

The Sauchiehall Street Avenue project will see the creation of a multifunctional service verge, two-way cycle lane on the north side of the street and wider pavements to make way for alfresco eating and drinking.

New bus shelters, cycle stands, seating and improved street lighting will be installed on the street to make it more pedestrian friendly.

The work will be done on a block by block basis, the first of which involve construction on the north side of Rose Street to Holland Street taking place over 16 weeks.

Following its completion, the block will be reopened to the public before work on another begins.

The plans aim to create less traffic in the area and more opportunities offered to businesses.

In recent years, Sauchiehall Street has seen the closure of several iconic shops leaving empty units and a lack of footfall.

Irish retailer Dunnes stores and Greaves Sports both closed their doors last year.

The £7.2 million project is the first of sixteen Avenue projects to be delivered in the city centre as part of a £115m scheme funded through the Glasgow City Region City Deal.

Sauchiehall Street Avenue will stretch from Sauchiehall Street between Charing Cross and Rose Street, and include four streets to the south between Elmbank Street and Douglas Street.

Work is expected to be completed by summer 2019.

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said that they aim to minimise any disruption to the lives of people using the street, adding: “As ever with such a project, we aim to minimise any disruption to the lives of people using the street, and have been working with local organisations to ensure this happens.

“The plans for this part of the city centre were developed after much consultation with a number of local stakeholders and representatives of the area’s community.

Depute Lord Provost Philip Braat commented: “I’m delighted that work has finally begun on the Sauchiehall Avenue project.

“The development is going to be of great benefit to local businesses and the local community.

“It will add greenery to the area and create greater connectivity between Sauchiehall Street and Kelvingrove, as well as making the streets more accessible for everyone.

“The move marks a new chapter in the long and illustrious history of Sauchiehall Street. All eyes will be on the street as the first ‘Avenue’ and will no doubt create a lasting legacy”

Green councillor Christy Mearns added: “I’m delighted that work has now begun on the Sauchiehall Avenue project which will be a blueprint for a new type of public space, one which prioritises pedestrians and cyclists and which seeks to minimise congestion and air pollution.

“Ambitious streetscape designs and a cleaner, greener environment will make this treasured part of our city an even more attractive area to live, visit and do business in.”

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stuart Patrick said: “We’re very pleased this project is now underway.

"The section of Sauchiehall Street which is the focus of the investment programme is one of the main destinations in Glasgow’s night-time economy, and with the right level of care it will be a genuinely distinctive asset to the city and to the businesses which operate there.

"The area has its challenges - pavements are ragged, waste bins proliferate, there’s too much street clutter and it has to cope with being a primary gateway for traffic into the city centre.

"With this investment that will change, and The Avenues is an important project in Glasgow’s new city centre strategy.”