Norwich: Heartsease roundabout to get £4.4m upgrade

The Heartsease roundabout in Norwich is to be improved

An accident blackspot is to undergo a £4.4m upgrade to "remove confusion" for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

Norfolk County Council found the Heartsease roundabout in Norwich responsible for 68% of recorded injury accidents over the past 10 years.

The authority will consult on its proposals - which include reducing vehicle speeds and improving crossing points.

The cash for the project is being met by the Transforming Cities Fund.

On its website, the county council said the aim was to improve safety for all road users on what is a key junction of the city's outer ring road.

"We can achieve this by reducing vehicle speeds and removing confusion, hesitation and conflict," it said.

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The principal change would involve reconfiguring the roundabout - on the junction of Plumstead Road and Heartsease Lane - to single lane entry and exit on all arms, but also safely accommodate lorries.

The scheme proposals also include crossing facilities, three metre-wide shared-use paths, pavement widening and the removal of the current pedestrian crossing on Harvey Lane.

It also said there would be minor amendments to waiting restrictions (double yellow lines).

The implementation of a similar roundabout design at Earlham Fiveways roundabout, near the University of East Anglia, saw a significant improvement in pedestrian and cyclist safety, the council said.

The Department for Transport's cycle infrastructure design guidance advises avoiding shared use between cyclists and pedestrians unless some form of separation is used.