IMPROVEMENTS are planned for a busy city centre junction to help tackle traffic congestion.
Mansfield Street and Abbey Street, close to St Margaret's Bus Station, experience a build-up of traffic, particularly at peak times, which causes delays to drivers’ journeys, as well as having an impact on bus services.
Changes are proposed to the junction of Mansfield Street and Abbey Street to help alleviate congestion.
At the moment, some of the traffic that turns into Abbey Street from Mansfield Street then takes a right turn into Garden Street, to access the inner ring road (Burleys Way) via Belgrave Gate.
Others stay on Abbey Street and travel on to the inner ring road (Burleys Way) by turning left or right at the end of Abbey Street.
All of this traffic is currently combined in one lane, resulting in traffic queuing in one lane on Mansfield Street.
The proposed improvement scheme aims to alleviate the congestion at the junction by introducing a second, left-turning lane on Mansfield Street, to separate the traffic turning right into Garden Street. This will benefit both public transport and general traffic using the area.
Assistant city mayor for environment and transport, Cllr Geoff Whittle, said: “These improvements will help to reduce traffic queuing in the area, and are part of a regular programme of investment into our road system which we make to help tackle problems like congestion.
“We understand that any roadworks cause disruption, but we will aim to keep this to a minimum – and the results should mean less queuing for people who use this route, whether they are driving or on the bus.”
Work is due to start on 19 October and is hoped to be completed in around a month. Some temporary closure of the roads will be necessary at times during certain stages of the work, but more information on this will be made available nearer the time.
Access to houses, shops and businesses will be maintained while the work is carried out and diversions will be in place during any temporary periods of closure.