Residents are being reminded that important works on the main route through Durham City will start on Sunday which will result in easier journeys in the future.
Durham County Council’s £2.5m SCOOT system will see traffic lights installed on the Gilesgate and Leazes Bowl roundabouts during 2016. The installation of the traffic lights will also see improvements to pedestrian and cycle facilities on both roundabouts. Although measures are being taken to minimise the impact on traffic, motorists should be aware that some disruption is inevitable while the work is carried out.
Work on Gilesgate will be carried out in seven phases to reduce the impact on motorists. For the first phase it will be necessary to close Gilesgate Bank in both directions between 7am and 7pm on Sunday, 24 January.
The outgoing lane, heading up the bank, will then be closed every Sunday from 31 January for up to seven weeks. This will allow the road at the bottom of the bank to be widened, the existing traffic island to be removed and for the lights to be installed.
From Monday, 25 January, the inbound slow lane of the A690 will be closed every day between 9am and 3pm for one week. Following that phase, one outbound lane of the A690 will then be closed, which will last for six weeks while the work is carried out.
As the project continues on Gilesgate roundabout further closures will be needed however these will all be carried out overnight or outside of peak times.
People can see full details at www.durham.gov.uk/Gilesgate which also includes changes to bus services, links to traffic cameras that people can check before setting off and tips to avoid delays. Motorists are also advised to keep up to date with the latest on social media using #Gilesgate.
The work at Gilesgate roundabout will last until May 2016, overlapping with the improvements to Leazes Bowl roundabout to minimise disruption. The project is expected to be finished by autumn 2016 and information about the Leazes Bowl work will be publicised closer to the starting date.
Once installed, the new traffic lights will be coordinated with those already in place on the Milburngate roundabout to better manage the flow of vehicles through the city. This will mean much more predictable travel through Durham City at peak times making journeys easier for motorists and helping bus operators to plan services.
It will also enable the council to more effectively deal with the impacts of incidents and planned events on the road network. The council hopes to start using the SCOOT system in 2017.
Adrian White, Durham County Council’s head of transport and contract services, said: “While we’ve taken all measures to minimise disruption, as we are working on the main route through the city residents should be aware that there may be delays.
“Once installed, however, the SCOOT system promises to improve journeys for everyone and we’d like to thank the public for their patience while these important improvements are put in place.”