Leicester: Work to start on revamp of 'most confusing' junction

The council said Fiveways is one of the most confusing junctions for drivers in the city

Work is to start next week on a major scheme to remodel one of Leicester's busiest road junctions.

Leicester City Council has drawn up £10.4m plans to completely overhaul the Fiveways junction.

The interchange on the A50 has been dubbed the city's "most confusing" junction.

The revamp, intended to make the road layout safer and simpler, starts on Tuesday 8 August and will then continue in phases until early 2024.

The busy junction connects Blackbird Road, Woodgate, Fosse Road North, the A50 Groby Road, and Buckminster Road.

Diversions are planned while roads are closed to allow the work

The council says the scheme, which will deliver new cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings, wider footpaths and improved routes for buses, will be complete by Spring 2024.

Woodgate will be closed to outbound traffic at its junction with Fiveways for one day only on Tuesday 8 August.

Then, from Thursday 10 August, Woodgate will be closed to inbound traffic between its junctions with Fiveways and Marshall Street for up to two weeks.

Work is then scheduled to move onto Fiveways junction itself with a rolling programme of short-term road closures from Wednesday 24 August, for up to five weeks.

Diversions will be put in place throughout.

Martin Fletcher, the council director of highways, said: "This a major scheme that will make huge improvements to one of the most confusing junctions in Leicester.

"We're working hard to minimise disruption by carrying out work in phases and keeping road closures to a minimum. However, we will need to introduce a rolling programme of short-term closures over the coming weeks as we come to resurfacing the newly reconfigured junction."

The scheme is being paid for using cash from the Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP),and the government's Transforming Cities Fund.