Major safety changes made to Angel Road revamp in Norwich

Coming as part of a city-wide bus service improvement plan, Angel Road and its junction with Waterloo Road would be reconfigured to give priority to traffic coming in and out of Angel Road.

This would be achieved by removing the central island at the Angel Road junction and realigning the Waterloo Road carriageway, creating a new course to the road. 

Angel Road and Waterloo Road in NR3 could see significant changes made (Image: Google)

The council claims it will improve bus journey times and provide safer conditions for cyclists. 

But responders to the scheme raised issues about increased speeding and rat-running, as well as worsening safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

In response to these concerns, Norfolk County Council's highways department has revised the plans.

The council's initial plans raised concerns about safety for cyclists and pedestrians (Image: Norfolk County Council)

It includes the introduction of speed tables - or humps - at the beginning of Angel Road, the junction of Patteson Road and Angel Road and the junction of Shipstone Road and Angel Road.

There will also be continuous pathways at the Patteson Road and Angel Road junction and the Shipstone Road and Angel Road junction where pedestrians will have priority.

These traffic calming measures should help to make crossing the new road layout safer and kill speeds in the area, which is close to schools and parks. 

The plans have now been revised (Image: Norfolk County Council)

The £300,000 scheme was first put forward last December and work was expected to begin this summer, but Green councillors Gary Champion and Alex Catt called out its cost and timing, taking special aim at the impact it could have on safety.

Graham Plant, cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, defended the proposal, however, weighing the benefits to bus services against the potential downsides. 

Julie Brociek-Coulton, county councillor for the Sewell ward, also voiced support.