Plans for traffic lights to improve safety at black spot junction

A consultation has been launched as part of major plans to improve a black spot junction.The Lynn News revealed last month that Norfolk County Council was looking at ways to bolster safety for drivers at the A149/Lamsey Lane junction in Heacham.Now, the authority is seeking views on a proposal to implement signalised control of the area.

The scheme seeks to improve reliability of bus services by reducing the inconsistent delays for all traffic turning right out of Lamsey Lane onto the A149.Cllr Graham Plant, the county council’s cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure, said: “Bus services in the area currently experience significant delays due to difficulties turning right out of Lamsey Lane onto the busy A149.“This proposal would remove this issue for buses and general traffic and improve safety for all users at a location which has also seen a number of accidents recorded in recent years.

“We’ve seen bus passenger numbers across the county increase by 9.7% over the last year (around 2.5million additional journeys) and through our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) we hope to see even more people using public transport in the future.” Cllr Andrew Jamieson, the authority’s deputy leader and local member for the North Coast division, said: “I’m pleased we’ve been able to use the latest tranche of BSIP funding to bring forward improvements to this junction.“This will speed up bus journeys exiting Lamsey Lane onto the A149 and forms part of a significant investment in bus travel in the west of the county, particularly between Hunstanton and Lynn.” The new junction would include signals from all directions and widening of the existing carriageway to create new left turning lanes on Lamsey Lane and the A149.It would also improve safety for those walking and cycling with the introduction of a new push button crossing on Lamsey Lane and shared use facilities either side of the junction.Further details and a plan of the proposals is available at www.norfolk.gov.uk/lamseylane where there is a brief online survey to complete. The plans can also be viewed at Heacham’s library or the parish council office during normal opening hours.A drop-in event will also be held at the Heacham Parish Council office in Old Friends Hall on Wednesday, May 14 between 3-7pm to answer any queries.The consultation closes on Monday, May 26.“All responses will be carefully considered in consultation with the local councillor and cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport as appropriate before any decisions are made on how to proceed with the project,” a county council spokesperson said.The project webpage will be kept up to date with the latest progress and information.