WE shared the news that the start of a major project to rejuvenate a prominent area of the city centre is scheduled to start next week, the council said.

Cumberland Council’s Carlisle Southern Gateway project on English Street aims to regenerate the southern entrance to the city, which the council said would create ‘a more attractive and vibrant area for residents, businesses, and visitors’, with a target completion date of spring next year.

Starting on June 17, it will see Story Contracting Ltd remove four out of the five bus shelters on English Street, with the Denton Holme bus stop remaining for the first few weeks.

The new permanent Denton Holme bus stop on Victoria Viaduct is expected to be up and ready by mid-August this year, the council said, adding that other bus routes will maintain their current detours, turning at Botchergate and using Lowther Street bus stops until the work is completed next year.

Here's what readers thought.

David Clifford said: "Spending money on pedestrian areas is all well and good, but when the shops are empty, no one is going to spend time in those areas. It would be better spending the money on free parking to encourage people into the city centre and get shops filled."

Patricia Dodd said: "Now mighty be the time to ask the people of Carlisle what they would like to see," while Debby Wilson argued: "Nothing exciting about it, no shops in town so nothing much to go up for, and now less ways for traffic through the town."

One web user said: "We all know the city is in trouble - whether this facelift does any good - time will tell. The problems seem to run deeper, however."