Member Article

Green light for £3.5 million roundabout scheme in Leeds

Plans to revamp Rodley roundabout on the outer ring road at a cost of £3.5million are set to get a green-light next week.

The roundabout is a key site in reducing congestion in the Rodley and outer west Leeds area and is used by 44,000 vehicles every day.

Work will be carried out on Horsforth, Rodley and Thornbury Barracks roundabouts from July until April to signalise all three in ambitious proposals to tackle congestion.

Thornbury Barracks and Rodley roundabout projects are benefiting from Local Pinch Point Funding totalling £4.8million.

Leeds City Council was successful in bidding for funding through the Government’s Local Pinch Point Fund, which is designed to remove bottlenecks on local highway networks.

Leeds City Council executive member for the economy and development, councillor Richard Lewis, said: “The rules around the Local Pinch Point Fund are that it must be spent by April 2015 so the timing of the works has been dictated by these rules.

“The Horsforth roundabout scheme is being funded from a number of other sources, but has been scheduled to begin this summer for some time.

“As we neared the beginning of work at Horsforth roundabout funding for Rodley and Thornbury became available.

“Because this needs to be spent by April next year and to ensure we address the issues in this area for the long-term, we must carry out the work concurrently.

“This is a major undertaking to improve a badly congested key section of the outer ring road.

“There will be some disruption, but we are doing all we can to minimise it and will ensure we do not work at peak times. Every effort is being made to carry out this work in the shortest time possible.”

Relevant information will be provided to the public informing them of the works while making them aware of possible alternative routes and transportation options during the construction period.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .