Two Milton Keynes grid roads get the 'golden treatment' this month with major cleaning and improvement scheme

And now with more major MK roads are set to be similarly improved later this year, promises the council.

The A509 Portway and A421 Standing Way were chosen as the first to receive the increased investment and cleaning.

They have been given a deep clean, fresh lines and new signs, while potholes have been filled. Landscaping has also been carried out at the sides of the roads.

The work was carried out as part of the city’s Golden Grid project, which focusses on the MK’s most-used roads.

Next on the list are the H6 Childs Way and V6 Grafton Street.

The programme includes removing weeds, cutting back overhanging vegetation, repairing, cleaning, and replacing damaged signs, removing clutter and litter picking, refreshing road markings, filling potholes and patching road defects, cleaning road gullies, tidying up the roundabouts (including painting the brick edges), fixing streetlights, removing graffiti, repairing damaged grass verges and reseeding where necessary, coppicing or removing trees to keep them healthy, replacing missing or damaged bollards and sweeping the roads.

Councillor Lauren Townsend, Labour Progressive Alliance Cabinet member for Public Realm, said: “I’m thrilled that we have completed treatment on the first two of our golden grid roads. Portway and Standing Way are among the major roads that get people from one end of the city to the other, so it is vital that they are well looked after.

“Going forward, the golden grid roads will have prioritised cyclical maintenance to make it easy to travel across the city.”

Councillor Paul Trendall, Lib Dem Progressive Alliance Cabinet member for Customer Services, said: “A stretch of Portway passes through my ward and I’ve seen just how much of a difference these works have made to such an important gateway to the city.

“The completion of the first two golden grid roads is testament to how Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors are committed to doing the essentials well – and we won’t stop there.

"We will keep improving our golden grid network, while investing £4m in long-term improvements for roads, redways and paths across the city.”