Gayton Road (A1076), King's Lynn
Norfolk County Council is asking for feedback on proposed changes to Gayton Road, King's Lynn, including the exit for buses from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital junction.
Overview
This project is part of a series of improvements we're making in King's Lynn, Norwich and Great Yarmouth, aimed at improving bus journey times and reliability of services across our public transport network. We're using funding awarded to us by the Department for Transport for our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) to invest in infrastructure at strategic locations, relieving specific areas of congestion that affect buses so we can deliver better, more punctual services. Through these changes, along with funding for additional and extended services, the current £2 fare cap and zero-emission buses, we hope that more people will choose the bus for their everyday journeys.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital exits onto the A1076 Gayton Road, which has a mini roundabout nearby and is a known pinch-point for traffic, including buses. Currently, buses are slowed down when turning right out of the hospital exit due to the positioning of the refuge island, which forms an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing. Site observations have shown that buses move slowly to avoid hitting the kerbs on the refuge island and on the south side of the road. Norfolk County Council has worked with their engineers to develop a design that resolves this issue, improving how buses exit from the hospital and making it safer for people in the area.
We are also taking this opportunity to consult on an upgrade to the existing staggered pedestrian crossing of Gayton Road on the other side of the hospital exit, towards Winston Churchill Drive. The proposal here is to replace it with a Toucan crossing for people walking and cycling - this location was identified for improvement within the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) to improve walking and cycling routes within King's Lynn. If approved, it is hoped that the two schemes can be constructed at the same time.
How to comment
To find out more about the proposals and the reasons behind them, please visit the survey page below.
Large print and alternative formats are also available on request by emailing TfNorfolk@norfolk.gov.uk
Next Steps
The deadline for comments is Friday 26 April and we will carefully consider all responses ahead of any proposed advertisement of the formal notices needed to deliver the project. The webpage above will be kept up to date with the latest progress and information.
Background
The Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded the county council nearly £50m of funding for its Bus Service Improvement Plan, aimed at improving bus services and infrastructure facilities across the county. The plan includes measures such as integrated travel hubs, new and more frequent services and bus priority infrastructure schemes such as the project at the hospital exit on Gayton Road. You can read more about our work on the Bus Service Improvement Plan by visiting www.norfolk.gov.uk/busstrategy. The new Toucan crossing element is funded by King's Lynn Borough Council.