Have your say on proposals to improve key town road

Residents are being asked to have their say on how a key road through town can be improved.Plans to improve Gayton Road in Lynn have opened for consultation, with the aim of delivering improvements to bus services from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and making facilities in the area better for people travelling on foot or by bicycle.The project proposals are to improve the hospital junction for buses exiting right onto Gayton Road since they are currently being slowed down by the positioning of a pedestrian refuge island.

There are also plans to create a new, better-located zebra crossing and to relocate a bus stop.This project is part of Norfolk County Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), aimed at improving bus journey times and reliability of services across our public transport network. Further up to the road, near the Winston Churchill Drive junction, there are also proposals as part of the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) to upgrade the existing staggered pedestrian crossing and replace it with a toucan crossing so people who are cycling can also use the crossing facilities.Cllr Graham Plant, the county council’s cabinet member for highways, infrastructure, and transport, said: “We’re using funding awarded to us by the Department for Transport for our Bus Service Improvement Plan to invest in infrastructure at strategic locations, relieving areas of congestion that affect buses so we can deliver better, more punctual services.“On this occasion, we’re also combining the consultation with proposed improvements as part of Lynn’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan so we can take a joined-up approach to our plans.“We’d like anyone who uses this part of Gayton Road on a regular basis, whether they’re a bus passenger, motorist, or travelling on foot or by bicycle, to share their views on the proposals and help inform the next steps for the projects.” Cllr Rob Colwell, member for Gaywood South, added: “Residents have mentioned previously to me that they would like a better crossing in the vicinity of the hospital, across the Gayton Road.“It is a busy road, as one of the key routes into and out of Lynn. Now is the chance to share your views on this proposed scheme, which aims to make things safer for patients and staff in Gaywood South.” Funding for the hospital exit project is through the county BSIP, which was awarded nearly £50million from the Department for Transport (DfT) to improve bus services and infrastructure facilities throughout the county, including in Lynn, Norwich, and Great Yarmouth.Funding for the toucan crossing is through West Norfolk Council as part of the LCWIP. The deadline for comments is Friday, April 26.All responses will be considered ahead of any proposed advertisement of the formal notices needed to deliver the project. If approved, construction is planned towards the end of this year. To find out more about the proposals, including plans for the projects, and to take part in the consultation, visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/gaytonroad.You can read more about work on the Bus Service Improvement Plan by visiting www.norfolk.gov.uk/busstrategy.Got a story? Email molly.nicholas@iliffepublishing.co.uk