Safety plans at busy roundabout given green light
ANOTORIOUS roundabout will be improved after more than 1,700 people called for changes to be made.
Local people signed the petition calling for traffic lights on North Seaton roundabout, between Ashington and Newbiggin, in Northumberland.
Data from Northumbria Police showed that there were 11 collisions resulting in injuries on the busy roundabout since January 2020, including two fatal crashes.
The petition called on Northumberland County Council to introduce traffic lights between 7.30am and 9.30am and again between 4pm and 6pm at peak times.
But at Wednesday’s meeting of the Ashington and Blyth Local Area Committee, officers explained that a scheme was already in the pipeline, with the council’s development company Advance already progressing a scheme to introduce traffic lights on the busy roundabout.
The work comes amid an increase in the number of businesses at Ashwood Business Park, coupled with the construction of a number of new housing developments, both of which have resulted in increased traffic volumes at North Seaton.
A report presented to the committee explained that the design of the scheme was “nearing completion”.
After the design was finished, the report said consideration will then be given to funding and timescales, with the scheme being treated as a “priority”.
Speaking at the meeting, Newbiggin councillor Liz Simpson said: “At last it is going to get done. The petition was absolutely amazing about 1,700 people signed it.
“This is desperately needed. If more houses are going up and Ashwood Business Park is getting bigger, it needed to be done. I’m over the moon.”
The traffic lights improvement scheme is expected to be funded by Advance, alongside contributions from developers in the area via the planning system.
The council’s highways officer Neil Snowdon said it was “all systems go”, adding the report was “pretty positive”.
And Bothal ward councillor Lynne Grimshaw added: “It is an accident waiting to happen at the moment. It is good it has been brought forward.
“Hopefully we will have a good outcome.”