WORK to transform a busy town centre walkway will be completed ‘as soon as possible’.

Bolton Council bosses say that the redevelopment of Newport Street will continue, after part of the thoroughfare was temporarily tarmacked to allow traders to move in during last weekend’s food and drink festival.

No firm date has been set for the completion of the works, which are designed to make Newport Street a more attractive gateway to the town centre, as contractors bid to complete shop frontage improvements and repaving.

When plans were first revealed for the £3 million renovation project — which has included the installation of new paving, seating, street lights and trees — the whole scheme was expected to be completed before the end of 2016.

A council spokesman said: “The tarmac was a temporary measure to enable stalls to set up for our food and drink festival.

“Traders were lined along Newport Street over the four days for our record breaking event.

“Now the festival is over, we will be continuing with our multi-million redevelopment of the thoroughfare.

“Shop frontage improvement, work to the repaving and wider public realm is anticipated to finish as soon as possible, weather permitting.”

In May, The Bolton News reported that businesses along the street had become frustrated with delays to the project.

At the time, the council said that the delays were a result of ‘the complex nature of the groundwork refurbishment which does involve extremely intricate work’.

In the council’s £1 billion town centre masterplan revealed last month, Newport Street forms part of a more streamlined retail zone, which continues onto Knowsley Street and incorporates the Market Place Shopping Centre and Crompton Place.