Lawnswood Roundabout Leeds: Residents warn council plans to redesign junction will 'endanger lives'

Leeds City Council has drawn up proposals to redesign Lawnswood Roundabout, which it says will make the junction safer, following a spate of accidents over the last five years. Under the scheme, the junction would be traffic lighted, while bus and cycle lanes will be created to help improve the flow of those vehicles from Otley Road and the A6120.

The plan has thus far split opinion at the council, with those opposing the project saying it will mean more cars coming to a standstill, increasing congestion and air pollution. In a letter sent to the Yorkshire Evening Post – Graham Sugden, chair of the West Park Residents Association, warned that the plans may actually “endanger lives”.

He said: "Pedestrians are separated from vehicles by safety railings. These will be removed under the proposals and will endanger lives. In addition, at least 18 months of disruption for commuters and misery for residents whilst the work is on-going.

“Lawnswood Roundabout is of course a busy junction but pedestrian and cyclist safety issues can be solved by placing three toucan crossings, as per the existing one facing Lawnswood School, on the other approach roads. This can be achieved at significantly lower cost and would result in far less impact upon air quality and the local environment.”

Campaigners fought off previous plans to redesign the junction in 2018, which would have seen the green space in the middle of the roundabout removed altogether, along with at least 17 trees. Mr Sugden acknowledged that while the new proposals were “not as dramatic” as the previous version, they would still have a “detrimental impact” on the environment.

Mr Sugden further warned: “The over-elaborate proposal will increase greenhouse gasses. This is because on average journey times through the junction will increase by 60 seconds. Not much of an increase from one vehicle but when you consider the thousands of vehicles using the junction every day it then becomes very a significant increase.

"As yet there hasn’t been any modelling to estimate what the increase in pollution will be or its adverse impact upon the health of the pupils at the adjacent Lawnswood School.”

Between 2015 and 2019 there were 29 personal injury collisions on the roundabout, with 14 involving cyclists. Seven of these 29 collisions resulted in serious injuries. The local authority has said that nearly 53 per cent of respondents in a recent public consultation backed the scheme, with 35 per cent indicating they were against it.

A Leeds council spokesperson, said: “By signalising the roundabout, the proposed design will improve safety, as the likelihood of conflicts between vehicles entering and vehicles circulating the roundabout will be reduced. The current roundabout lacks effective provision for cycling and walking, with no formal crossings and no segregation between cyclists and pedestrians, which is particularly concerning given the proximity to Lawnswood School.

“The proposed cycle track passing houses on the ring road will enable cyclists to safely access the signalised cycle crossings, which enable cyclists to traverse Lawnswood roundabout without coming into conflict with motor vehicles. Similar layouts have been implemented elsewhere in the city with no increase in recorded road traffic collisions involving (vehicles) from properties observed in these locations.”