Hull City Council and its contractor, CR Reynolds Ltd, will begin delivery of two roundabout improvement schemes in Kingswood from next week.
Following the completion of several new housing developments in the area over the past few years, increasing the capacity of the highway network to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion has become necessary, particularly at the roundabouts at Ennerdale Leisure Centre and Wawne Road/Bude Road.
In addition to improving journeys for motorists and members of the travelling public, the schemes will also improve cycle and pedestrian facilities to support people to walk and ride more.
Councillor Mark Ieronimo, cabinet portfolio holder for transport and infrastructure, said: “Improving these two roundabouts represents a major investment in our city’s future and will deliver real benefits for our residents and businesses in the Kingswood area.
“Not only will the works help to tackle congestion and ensure our roads can cope with further growth, but they will also make the routes safer and more accessible thanks to the inclusion of enhanced pedestrian and cycling facilities, including new signalised crossing points, to make the routes safer. This strengthens our commitment to supporting sustainable transport and active and healthier travel choices.
“We’d like to thank everyone in advance for their patience and understanding while these important works are carried out.
“As a council, we will be working closely with our contractor to minimise disruption wherever possible by taking a phased approach and working on both sites simultaneously to shorten the overall length of construction.”
The start of the main schemes follows initial work to remove and replant a number of trees on council-owned land located near to the roundabouts. This was required to allow access to utilities and provide additional space to expand the roundabouts.
Where it hasn’t been possible to accommodate replanting, twice as many replacement trees will be planted to improve the local landscape.
From Monday (2 March) works at both the Wawne Road/Bude Road roundabout and the Ennerdale Leisure Centre roundabout will initially focus on:
- preparation for utility diversions
- removal of all existing splitter islands.
To ensure this work can be done safely, the council’s contractor will put traffic management in place, including:
- narrow lanes on Holwell Road and Bude Road
- a northbound closure on Wawne Road, between the roundabout and the entrance to Kingswood Academy, until the end of April, with a diversion route via Wawne Road, Diversity Drive, Richmond Lane, Grosvenor Road, Richmond Way, Barnes Way, Raich Carter Way, John Newton Way and Bude Road.
- narrow lanes on Thomas Clarkson Way (southbound) and Ennerdale (north)
- a northbound lane closure on A1033 Ennerdale, between Sutton Road and the roundabout, until early October.
A temporary bus gate will also be put in place to divert buses around the Wawne Road closure, via the emergency access road from Bude Road through Foredyke Nature Reserve, to ensure that bus journey times are unaffected throughout the works.
Liam Carter, managing director at CR Reynolds Ltd, said: “We are delighted to continue working alongside Hull City Council to deliver these works, which allows us to contribute significantly to enhancing the local infrastructure.
“We understand the importance of this scheme to the Kingswood area, as it will ensure improved access to key local destinations, including Kingswood Academy and Ennerdale Leisure Centre, while enhancing connectivity for students, residents and visitors alike.
“Securing this contract ensures ongoing employment for many local residents and will support businesses throughout the community.”
The multi-million-pound investment has been funded through the council’s capital programme as well as an allocation of funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
It is anticipated that work on the schemes will be complete by the end of the year.