New crossing near busy Hucknall roundabout makes life safer for residents

The toucan crossing is located at the A611 roundabout with Wood Lane and has been installed to make life safer and easier for residents in the vicinity.

The roundabout is used by around 7,000 vehicles each day.

Footway and cycleway improvements have also been made at the roundabout.

The crossing was switched live in mid-December and will provide a safe crossing place to link local communities to facilities such as the Hillside Primary and Nursery School, Holgate Academy and Dob Park.

On visiting the site, Councillor John Cottee, chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s communities and place committee said: “This new scheme will make a real difference to the residents living nearby and in particular will provide a safer crossing for young people accessing the school at Holgate Academy.

“It is yet another scheme we have delivered in Ashfield, having recently completed a major programme of micro asphalt surfacing works and the upgrading a large number of streetlights to newer, more efficient LEDs.”

The new crossing was designed and built by Via East Midlands, a company wholly owned by Nottinghamshire County Council.

Coun Cottee said: “I’m pleased that Via were able to consider the impact and adapt their design for local business. This is an aspect of the process that residents don’t often get to see, but it is important that any changes consider the impact to all road users.”

Via’s specialist traffic signal design and build teams provide services both throughout Nottinghamshire and the wider East Midlands to public sector and commercial clients, as well as providing highways construction services.

The toucan crossing, so named because of its ability to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists at the same time, is the latest in a £26.54 million drive to improve local roads and other highway assets, reflecting the county council’s ongoing commitment to improving Nottinghamshire’s road and transport network.