Residents are to get a trial of new measures they want to boost pedestrian safety near the busy roundabout at Monkgate.

After demands for improvements from Monk Ward Committee, City of York Council is to start the trial next Wednesday (February 13) and it is designed to provide better safety for pedestrians crossing Huntington Road near the roundabout.

The trial involves using temporary barriers to reduce the Huntington Road approach from two lanes to one. The temporary measures will probably be in place for several weeks to test the scheme in a variety of traffic conditions.

Mike Durkin, the council's highways safety project manager, said, "This scheme is designed to address concerns of local residents about difficulties crossing Huntington Road near the roundabout and is being funded by the Monk Ward Committee. "Surveys show that the two lane approach is under-utilised, with the majority of traffic exiting onto the roundabout in the left hand lane."

The council says that reducing the number of lanes of the Huntington Road approach to the roundabout is the best way of making crossing the road much easier and safer without any significant impact on traffic. Pedestrians will have less distance to cross and only one lane of traffic to cope with.

The council's North East Area Planning and Transport Sub-Committee has approved the scheme in principle but decided a trial should be carried out to monitor its effects on Huntington Road. traffic flows.

Mr Durkin said the trial would be closely monitored and reported to the Sub-Committee in March for a decision on whether or not the scheme should be implemented on a permanent basis.

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