BBC
Road users have been warned of “significant construction work” at the junction in Leeds
Work to improve safety at one of the busiest roundabout junctions in Leeds is due to begin on Monday and take 12 months to complete.
Road users have been warned of “significant construction work” near Lawnswood roundabout on the A6120 Outer Ring Road and A660 Otley Road.
Leeds City Council said between 2020 and 2024 there were 25 recorded injuries, six of which were serious, at the roundabout.
Some residents have welcomed the planned improvements, while others have said they feared the disruption the works could cause.
About 50,000 vehicles use the roundabout every day, according to Leeds City Council.
The authority said the junction lacked adequate crossing points and was a “major barrier” for people who wanted to walk or cycle, especially to nearby Lawnswood School.
The project will include the installation of traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and segregated cycle lanes.
The existing southbound bus lane on Otley Road will also be extended and the speed limit on the A6120 Ring Road, between King Lane and the roundabout, will be reduced from 70mph (112km/h) to stretches of 40 and 50mph (64 and 80km/h).
‘Nightmare junction’
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Rose Cooper say the works will be disruptive but beneficial when completed
Rose Cooper, 64, lives in Adel and said that she and many other residents who regularly walk to Headingley have to cross at the roundabout.
“It is a nightmare, trying to cross the junctions, there’s no provision for getting us across,” she said.
When she has tried to cross, she said she “always feels my heart is in my mouth”.
“I’m relying on a kind driver to slow down or flash their lights to let me across,” she said.
Ms Cooper said she accepted the work would cause a lot of disruption, but added that it would be “worth it in the long term”.
“It will be very beneficial to the local community,” she said.
‘Dangerous for cyclists’
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Mary-Ann and Adrian Bouchard say the works should focus on improving safety
Mary-Ann Bouchard and her husband, Adrian, also live in Adel and said they thought Lawnswood roundabout was “very dangerous,” particularly for cyclists and pedestrians.
Mrs Bouchard said their son cycled regularly into the city centre via the roundabout.
“There is so much traffic, and it goes so fast, people aren’t aware of cyclists,” she said.
Her husband agreed: “Cars come at 70mph so it can be dangerous for pedestrians, as there is no chance to get through.
“We’ve tried crossing and you do feel like you’re taking your life in your hands.”
Both agreed that the changes would be worth the disruption, but added that people should be encouraged to use public transport to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
‘A lot of disruption’
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Derek and Ann Cockerham say they expect the work to take a long time
Derek Cockerham, 63, and his wife Ann live in Headingley and had been on a walk when they tried to cross at Lawnswood roundabout.
Mr Cockerham said it had been a “real problem as there is no crossing,” and said he would support improvements at the site.
Lawnswood School is close to the roundabout and Mr Cockerham said he had wondered how pupils get there safely with no pedestrian crossing.
The couple said they were aware of a campaign to save trees close to the roundabout from being cut down during the works and said any improvements should not require the trees to be removed.
However, Mr Cockerham added that the project would cause “quite a disruption,” as previous roundabouts had taken a “really long time” to complete.
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Some drivers fear the impact of the works as they coincide with other major roadworks in the city
On social media, one user said they were already having to re-route around other roadworks in the city and would now have to look for a different way past Lawnswood roundabout.
Another said the works meant “more years of disruption”, following other projects across the city including three years of work on Armley Gyratory.
The work at Lawnswood roundabout is being funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The council’s deputy leader Jonathan Pryor said the road had “high volumes of cyclists, pedestrians and bus users, but the junction lacks proper crossing facilities and is a major barrier for walking and cycling, especially close to Lawnswood School”.
“Having a junction with poor safety record right next to a school is essential to fix, so I am delighted to see the works starting this month,” he said.