ELEVEN bus shelters, 50 litter bins and 20 new dog waste bins have been installed across Basildon thanks to more than £85,000 worth of investment.

Basildon Council has ploughed cash into a series of street scene projects across the borough, including landscaping Sailing Green roundabout, in Noak Bridge.

New flowers and trees have been planted and the ground has been levelled off following a £1,470 grant from the Tory administration and a £670 contribution from Noak Bridge Parish Council.

Terri Sargent, cabinet member for environment and community, praised residents for making the project a success.

She said: “People from the nearby community have really taken ownership of this project and done a lot of work to improve the roundabout.

“It had been looking particularly unsightly but with a fairly reasonable amount of money from the two councils the residents have made a real difference.

“Projects like this one do more than enhance the physical amenity, they help build communities. We’re extremely grateful to the residents, who should be proud of their achievement.”

Laetitia Lewis, a Noak Bridge residents who took part in the scheme, added: "It looks much better and it was a real community effort, getting people out of their homes and meeting their neighbours.

"We're grateful for the support we've had from the two councils and we're looking at what other improvements we can make in the village."

Other completed street scene improvements across the borough include three new 'Welcome to Vange' signs, relaying a new footpath at Wat Tyler Park, and refurbishing the Crays Hill village sign.