A MULTI-million-pound investment is being made in Southampton in a bid to give the city a facelift.

About £13m is being ploughed into making Southampton more appealing for residents and visitors, city bosses announced today.

Among the programme of works being proposed will be a number of road improvements, resurfacing work, sign replacements, new pedestrian crossings and the replacement of street furniture.

Plans include an ambitious project that will see street lighting upgraded across the city over the next three years.

The council also hopes to improve bus shelters, introduce real-time bus information across the city and continue to promote its clean up campaign.

Major roads including Archers Road, Romsey Road and Howard Road will also be the subject of highway improvement work.

In addition large development projects like upgrading the Aldermoor Road shopping precinct and improving Portswood High Street are being undertaken as part of the project which is being marketed as improving the whole so-called 'street scene' of the city, area by area.

For the past two months city bosses have been earmarking projects and areas most in need of a spruce up.

Civic bosses are hoping by taking a whole street approach to improving the way Southampton looks it will improve the image of the city.

Cabinet member for the environment Councillor Jill Baston said: "Through speaking with the public we were aware that people wanted to see their areas looking better with seemingly simply things like better lighting, signage, maintained roads and pavements.

"We hope that by adopting the whole street approach that people will get a lift from seeing their environment improved and looking better."

Today will also see the launch of a new street scene urban design manual to give advice and guidance on development standards and design principals that should be adhered to within Southampton. It is hoped the manual will ensure a general high level of design across the city.