Planned changes to accident black spot welcomed

People who work near a notorious accident black spot in Leeds said they hope proposed changes to the road will save lives.

Leeds City Council announced that a £2m grant would be used to reduce accidents on the A58 Roundhay Road.

Ninety casualties and one death have been recorded at the Roundhay Road, Barrack Road and Bayswater Triangle in Harehills, the council said.

The scheme includes new pedestrian crossings, cycle lanes and bus lanes around Bayswater Road, Spencer Place, Roseville Road, and Gledhow Road.

A grant from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) is set to help fund the project, worth £4.5m in total.

A council spokesperson said: "These measures aim to improve safety at key junctions along the route, making it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle in the area, and to protect buses from queuing traffic."

Council figures show there were 71 collisions in the area over the past seven years, resulting in 14 serious and 56 slight injuries.

Some 35% of the casualties involving people walking or cycling.

As part of the project some bus stops would be moved to reduce journey times, a council report said.

It said: "The bus stop relocations will improve accessibility, capacity and road safety."

Mohammed Riaz, 68, who owns BMF Car Parts, said: "One thing they're doing right is the junction just up the road, they're making it one way.

"That's a brilliant idea, we've been crying for that for the last 10 years because that junction is a death trap.

"There's a lot of accidents that happen, so closing that and only making it one way - that's brilliant."

However, Riaz is concerned that some of the other measures will add to existing traffic issues.

"My personal feeling is it is going to cause chaos, because all you're trying to do is from three different roads, you're trying to get traffic onto one road, and that is the major, major problem.

"It's going to be worse than what it is at the moment."

Gracia Tshidibi, 39, works at the La Katangaise Cuisine cafe, and has witnessed a lot of accidents at the junction outside.

She said: "There was a car coming down the street, and then there was another one coming this way, so they didn't see the one priority on the left or the right.

"I just heard the noise when those cars bumped each other, and then there was massive traffic.

"People were going home from work, so it's not good at all.

"I really hope that they can change the road to avoid things like that happening."

On another occasion, Tshidibi called the emergency services after a motorcyclist was knocked off his bike.

She said: "It's very scary.

"A person was on his bike, and then there was a car that wanted to turn, but they didn't see him.

"We saw it happen and then we called 999."

A public consultation was carried out on the proposals, set to be implemented by winter 2027.

The WYCA grant would be used to complete the design and development of the safety scheme.

The council spokesperson said: "The proposed scheme will deliver new enforced bus lanes, enhanced bus stops, segregated cycle tracks, new pedestrian and cycle crossings, improved footways, and safer junctions with enforcement cameras."

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