City centre road to face 16 weeks of works

St Mary's Boulevard in Sunderland is being redesigned to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists

Roadworks are set to take place for 16 weeks along a busy city centre road.

The works on St Mary's Boulevard in Sunderland are being carried out to make the area safer for pedestrians and cyclists and support the Riverside Sunderland development.

The work is set to begin on Monday and is expected to be completed by June.

Sunderland City Council cabinet member Lindsey Leonard said the changes were being brought in to "encourage sustainable travel" in the area.

The eastbound carriageway of St Mary's Boulevard will be reduced to two lanes

The first phase of the works will last about eight weeks and will see the eastbound carriageway reduced from three lanes to two near the multi-storey car park.

In its place, the footpath used by cyclists and pedestrians will be widened.

The box junction and traffic lights near the car park will remain.

A second set of works will be carried out on the westbound carriageway alongside the Holiday Inn.

This will introduce a taxi lay-by and connections to new crossings between Keel Square and the city hall to the Wear footbridge, which is due to open later this year.

The council said traffic management measures would be in place while the work was carried out.