'Bonkers' bus lane plans dropped

Work is now expected to start in January

Controversial plans for a bus lane near a busy roundabout has been scrapped.

The lane, towards the roundabout at the junction with Springwell Road and Holborn Road in Sunderland, was part of proposed upgrades for the city's Chester Road.

But Sunderland City Council confirmed the idea had been dropped, following consultation feedback.

Residents had criticised the proposals, saying a bus lane would make traffic worse, with opposition councillors calling the plans "bonkers".

Revised proposals for the scheme, which is part of the regional Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), include upgrading bus shelters and new traffic lights at Hastings Hill roundabout.

"The council is now focusing improvements on what residents said they valued the most and schemes are being prepared," the Labour-run local authority said.

Works are planned to start in January and will take about a year to complete.

Durham Road will also be upgraded as part of the scheme.

It will include a traffic-light-controlled pedestrian crossing outside Bede College Campus and changes to the junction layout into Springwell Road to help right-turning traffic.

'We have listened'

A total of 585 people responded to the consultation, which closed in March.

The proposals included bus lanes between the Chester Road/Hastings Hill junction to the Chester Road/Wavendon Crescent junction.

Bus priority corridors were also suggested for sections of Durham Road, from the A690/A19 interchange to the Barnes Gyratory.

Cabinet member for transport Lindsey Leonard said feedback had "made it clear" the bus lanes were not supported.

"We have absolutely listened to residents and everybody who contributed to the engagement, and as a result, we will not be introducing those bus priority lanes," the Labour politician said.

Stephen O'Brien, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Grindon and Hastings Hill, said the bus lanes would have increased the number of motorists using nearby estates as "rat runs".

"Local people will be celebrating that the council have finally seen sense, listened and done the decent thing by dropping these bonkers plans for bus lanes which would have made lives of motorists and local people across the Grindon an absolute misery," O'Brien added.

Stephen O'Brien (left) said residents and motorists would be celebrating the changed plans

Previous ideas for the roundabout at the junction with Springwell Road and Holborn Road (The Broadway) included replacing it with traffic lights.

These were dropped after modelling showed introducing them would increase delays.

The city council said it would look further into how to improve traffic flow at the roundabout.

Updated proposals for Chester Road include

• new traffic lights at Hastings Hill roundabout, including a controlled pedestrian crossing as an alternative to the existing underpass

• improvements to Greenwood Road roundabout

• improved road markings at Grindon Mill roundabout for all traffic