A busy junction on a key Newcastle route will under go a major upgrade to improve traffic flow and road safety.
Work will take place at the William Armstrong Drive / Violet Close junction on the A695 Scotswood Road over a 14-week period, starting on Monday 14 September.
Drivers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys, particularly at peak times, as temporary lights and lane closures will be in place to enable the work to be completed safely.
During the works, a series of changes and improvements to the junction will be made, including:
- Upgrades to the traffic signals to improve safety and better manage traffic flow.
- The implementation of new traffic management to reduce the risk of traffic collisions.
- A new section of bus lane extending from the existing one on William Armstrong Drive through the left turn on to Scotswood Road.
- Improvements to walking and cycling routes with the installation of safer pedestrian crossing facilities and cycle lanes.
Cllr Owen Burbidge, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Skills at Newcastle City Council, said: “This is a busy location and a key traffic corridor used by drivers, bus services and by people walking and cycling.
“The changes that we are making at this junction are designed to improve safety and journey times for all road users.
“Upgraded traffic signals will help the junction to operate more smoothly and better traffic management together with improved facilities for people walking and cycling will also make it safer.
“As with any works taking place on the road network, there will be some unavoidable disruption, however it is important that we carry out these improvements to help keep people safe and keep our city moving.”
The work is funded through the North East Bus Service Improvement Plan, which is aimed at making bus services across the region more accessible, efficient, reliable and affordable.
The improvements being made are designed to increase journey reliability for bus services using this route by enabling a more efficient traffic flow through the junction.
The upgrades to the traffic signals and changes to traffic management will also help to reduce the risk of collisions by creating a dedicated right turn phase for motorists.
The junction improvements will begin on Monday 14 September and work is scheduled to take place during the daytime until early December.
Following completion of the junction works, overnight resurfacing will be carried out and is expected to take up to two weeks.