One of Norwich’s worst roundabouts could get £750,000 safety boost

Dan Grimmer

Published: 2:16 PM June 3, 2018 Updated: 6:33 PM October 10, 2020

City Councillors are looking to spend £750K on safety improvements to the Fiveways roundabout in Norwich.Picture: Nick Butcher - Credit: Nick Butcher

One of the most dangerous roundabouts in Norwich could be made safer thanks to a £750,000 revamp, but it could mean further disruption on the roads.

City Councillors Mike Stonard, Kevin Maguire, Ed Coleshill, Ian Stutely, Marion Maxwell, Karen Davis and Jo Smith are looking to spend £750K on safety improvements to the Fiveways roundabout in Norwich.Picture: Nick Butcher - Credit: Nick Butcher

Work finished last week on the Sweet Briar Road/Dereham Road roundabout and attention is now about to turn to the city's Fiveways roundabout in Earlham.

Councillors on the Norwich highways agency committee will this week be asked to agree to put a scheme, to stop the roundabout being an 'accident cluster', out for public consultation.

In the past five years, there were 13 accidents at the Fiveways, nine involving cyclists. Two cyclists were seriously hurt.

Transport for Norwich wants to:

City Councillors Jo Smith, Ed Coleshill, Ian Stutely, Kevin Maguire, Mike Stonard, Marion Maxwell and Karen Davis are looking to spend £750K on safety improvements to the Fiveways roundabout in Norwich.Picture: Nick Butcher - Credit: Nick Butcher

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• Make the central island larger, so the lanes which go around the roundabout are narrower. The council says that will cut roads speeds and encourage drivers to position their vehicles better, cutting conflict with cyclists

• Upgrade the three existing pedestrian crossings to Toucan crossings to make them safer

• Connect all four Toucan crossings with a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians

• Build refuges for pedestrians and cyclists to cross

City Councillors are looking to spend £750K on safety improvements to the Fiveways roundabout in Norwich.Picture: Nick Butcher - Credit: Nick Butcher

• Install a raised table on Gypsy Lane, with a 20mph speed limit

After changes at a similar scheme in Cambridge, there have been no injury accidents.

Transport for Norwich does not have all £750,000 needed for the improvements, but an application for Department for Transport cash has been lodged.

A spokeswoman for Transport for Norwich said: 'Proposals for Fiveways provide cyclists with the option of crossing the roundabout away from traffic, helping to address the existing accident record in the area.

City Councillors are looking to spend £750K on safety improvements to the Fiveways roundabout in Norwich.Picture: Nick Butcher - Credit: Nick Butcher

'If the funding comes through, it will give us the opportunity to invest in an important connection in the cycle network, close to the green pedalway, the UEA and in an area of growth where we're likely to see more and more cyclists over the coming years.'

Labour councillor Mike Stonard, vice chairman of the Norwich highways agency committee, said: 'These proposals are about pedestrian and cyclist safety at a junction which has a poor accident record and is used by many young people attending UEA and the City Academy. Their safety is our paramount concern.'

If it goes ahead, the work would be done next year. It is not yet clear how long it would take or what, if any, roads would close.