ROADS are set to close as work begins on an overhaul of a major Southampton road, including improving walking and cycling access across the city.

Southampton City Council has today announced the plans to make significant changes to the A3024 Northern Ring Road.

Here are the full details:

When does the work start, and how long will it take?

From October 11, the work is due to start.

It will take eight weeks.

The project is part of the council’s Transforming Cities Fund programme and includes new traffic signals, intelligently coordinated to improve traffic flows.

The works are also expected to provide better and safer connectivity for people walking and cycling into and out of the city centre.

What changes are being made?

Well, quite a few.

It will begin with the widening of Charlotte Place roundabout through the introduction of a third lane at the East Park Terrace junction, the improvements will also see Grosvenor Square become one-way southbound, eliminating the impact of vehicles turning into the road.

A new contraflow cycle lane will be put in to improve connectivity for cyclists and the junction will receive improvements to the traffic signals and pedestrian crossings.

The final part of the works will see the parking layby on Brunswick Place resurfaced and the introduction of infrastructure in preparation for the city’s first on-street electric vehicle charging points.

What closures will be in place?

A full closure of East Park Terrace will be in place for two weeks from October 11 with a further two nights of closures on the southern section of Charlotte Place roundabout.

Grosvenor Square will be closed between Cumberland Place and Park Lane with some lane closures on Cumberland Place itself after the first two weeks.

A closure of the layby on Brunswick Place will also be put in for three weeks with some lane closures on Brunswick Place.

What has the council said?

Councillor Jeremy Moulton, deputy leader and cabinet member for Growth, said the work represents “a huge and timely investment in our city’s road network”.

“As we continue to recover from the impact of the pandemic, our roads and how we manage them will prove more important than ever before in bolstering our local economy.

“Encouraging a shift towards more sustainable travel is an important part of this and as such this work includes a number of improvements to the walking and cycling provision.”

Work is due to be delivered through the Balfour Beatty SCAPE contract.

Brian Hammersley, contract director, said: “We look forward to building on our long-standing relationship with the council, whilst also benefitting the local community; making Southampton a more connected and vibrant space for cyclists and pedestrians and improving traffic congestion around the city centre.”