Travel Ipswich (Ipswich Borough Council/Suffolk County Council have a new consultation re proposed designs for the junction of Norwich Road, Vallet Road, and Chevallier Street. This is a major route for people travelling north in and out of the city.

This junction includes the double island crossing for pedestrians currently. Shame there isn't an always green for pedestrians with the drivers having to wind down their window and push a button a couple of times to get through the junction. It's also a complete mishmash of on road and off road facilities currently. My gut feel is that it should be simplified to a single cross roads rather than the double mini roundabout with traffic lights a short distance away from the junction.

More information available on http://www.travelipswich.co.uk/what-is-happening-and-where/norwich-road-mini-roundabouts/ copied below.

Consultation
The proposals for changes at this junction can be viewed at Tower Ramparts shopping centre and at Westbourne Library.

Consultation dates:
Monday 27 January – Monday 10 February

Proposals:
* Existing pedestrian crossings to be upgraded on Valley Road and Chevallier Street
* New toucan crossing to be provided across Norwich Road, south of the junction (town centre side)
* Existing pedestrian crossing on Norwich Road, north of the junction, to be simplified and made into a toucan crossing
* The widening of footways to allow shared cycle and pedestrian use

According to http://ipswichspy.wordpress.com/2014/02/20/scc-bishops-hill-traffic-lights-will-not-go-ahead/

"The decision follows one earlier to drop plans to remove the roundabouts at Norwich Road, although these plans were able to sneek through in the same consultation, whereby the County Council will be widening footpaths and introducing computer controlled toucan crossings on each road approaching the roundabouts."

Thus there had been a plan to remove the roundabouts and put in traffic lights however there was too much opposition and that option was removed. Probably best we find other ways to improve things for cycling in and around Ipswich to increase cycling numbers so that this junction can be made much better for all cyclists without throwing cyclists in conflict with pedestrians, and taking them on long detours.