WORK on a major programme of improvements to one of Leicester’s most confusing junctions enters a new phase this month.
Leicester City Council is carrying out an ambitious redevelopment of the A50/FiveWays junction, in northwest Leicester, to help make it safer for all road users and improve the route for buses.
As part of the project, the council is completely redesigning and overhauling the busy junction which links Blackbird Road, Woodgate, Fosse Road North, Groby Road and Buckminster Road.
Work is being carried out in phases to help minimise disruption, with the overall project expected to be complete by Spring 2024.
Improvement works to Buckminster Road and its junctions with Blackbird Road and Colwell Road are almost complete.
From mid-April, new rules for the junction of Blackbird Road and Woodgate will be made permanent. Motor vehicles will no longer be able to turn left from Blackbird Road into Woodgate, or turn right from Woodgate into Blackbird Road, from Tuesday 11 April. Drivers should use Abbey Gate and Ravensbridge Drive instead.
Temporary signals are due to be installed at the FiveWays junction from 11 April. Work to remove the existing splitter islands at the main junction will be carried out during the second half of April.
Work on Fosse Road North is also progressing well and is on track for completion next month. Before then, a series of four temporary road closures will be required for road resurfacing and utilities works.
These will take place on the following dates:
- Friday 21 April at 7.30am to Sunday 23 April at 10pm
- Friday 28 April at 7.30am to Saturday 29 April at 10pm
- Friday 5 May only from 7.30am to 10pm
- Friday 12 May from 7.30am to Sunday 14 May at 10pm.
Improvement works are also due to begin on Groby Road later this month. A new cycle lane will be installed linking the existing cycle lane to the FiveWays junction and then on to Woodgate, with a raised table crossing at the Medina Road junction. The existing bus stop at the FiveWays junction will be relocated to the shortened bus lane close to Medina Road. New tree planting will also be carried out.
Martin Fletcher, Leicester City Council director of highways, said: “This a major scheme that will make huge improvements to one of the most confusing junctions in Leicester. It will help simplify Fiveways for drivers and make it a much more attractive and route for all road users.
“We’re working hard to minimise disruption by carrying out work in phases and limiting any road closures to off peak times, wherever possible.”
The scheme – which is expected to cost about £10.4million – will be paid for through a mix of Enterprise Zone funding through the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), and the Transforming Cities Fund following the city council’s successful bid for £32million of second tranche funding to support improvements to public transport and providing more safer cycling and walking routes into city neighbourhoods and the city centre.
The work will be carried out by Thomas Bow City Asphalt – one of the biggest building and civil engineering contractors in the East Midlands – under contract to Leicester City Council.
For more information about the forthcoming works to the A50/FiveWays junction visit www.leicester.gov.uk/TransformingCitiesFund