YOUNG people from the continent have arrived in the town to celebrate improvements in their urban lives.

The visit took place as part of the Streets for Living project being run by Swindon Council, alongside local authorities in areas of France and the Netherlands.

A dozen representatives from La Courneuve, a Parisian suburb, and Hilversum in the Netherlands, met with Broad Green residents yesterday when they arrived for the three-day trip to Swindon.

After a whistle-stop tour of the Broad Green area, the youngsters showed video presentations from their home towns to give a taste of the different problems each one faces.

Broad Green residents have strived to improve community cohesion, and the project gives residents a chance to say what changes they want to see in the area, as well as playing roles in the redesign of the streetscape.

The project is seeking to show how traffic management can improve quality of life by reducing social exclusion, reducing crime and disorder, and improving economic and environmental circumstances.

Project leader Sylvie Grasso, said: "The exchange of young people is a part of the project, and we want them to make contact to share their experiences from their own neighbourhoods.

"They are all completely different areas, but with some of the same issues, such as the need to improve social inclusion, crime problems and accessibility for the disabled and elderly, which is a particular issue in Hilversum."

Representatives from the three towns meet every three months, but this is the first time young people have been able to see the project in action.

Construction work in the four Broad Green streets of Pointing, Gladstone, Salisbury and Graham, started in October, creating northern gateways into the area from Manchester Road, and work is due to start on upgrading alleyways between the streets.

Today the group will visit Drove Primary School, where pupils have designed innovative bollards to improve the street scene with help from public artist Richard Layzell.

During the visit, two of the bollards will be installed at the school to remind pupils of their contribution to the Streets for Living scheme.

A stakeholder conference, which is being opened by Swindon Mayor Michael Barnes, is also being held at the Civic Offices, where 45 interested parties will gather to hear a progress report on the project.