Plans to develop Kimpton Road in Luton to form part of the Luton and Dunstable guided busway could be given the green light next week.

Luton Borough Council's development control committee will decide whether or not to grant planning permission to build a new junction in the street for the busway to join the flow of general traffic.

The proposed site forms part of the disused railway line linking Luton and Dunstable, which crosses over the Kimpton Road highway via a widened steel bridge.

If planning permission is granted there will be an alteration to the approved guided bus route by removing the steel bridge and instead digging down from the level of the railway line to the road level.

It is hoped that the conversion of the disused railway line linking Luton and Dunstable in to a dedicated bus route will be complete and ready for use in 2011.

Highway officers are now inviting suitably qualified and experienced contractors to bid for the job.

The busway will run from Luton Airport to Houghton Regis mainly along the disused railway, and on the street at either end.

It will consist of about 7.5km of twin-track kerb guided busway, approximately 2km of unguided busway, reconstruction of eight bridges, bus stops and associated earthworks.

The contract is worth £45 million and the design and construction period is estimated to last for 27 months, starting in December.