Labour respond to Lib Dem attack on 'worst roundabout in Sunderland' plans
The local Labour Party have responded to critisism that a Chester Road bus lane has not been thought through.
Hopes that Sunderland City Council would replace the Chester Road-Holborn Road-Springwell Road roundabout in the city – dubbed ‘the worst roundabout in Sunderland’ – with a traffic-light controlled junction were dropped by the Council earlier this year.
Following the announcement, consultations began on introducing bus lanes on one of the routes towards the junction.
At the Sunderland Council meeting of Wednesday, March 26 Councillor Niall Hodson asked: “Following the outcry about Labour’s proposed Chester Road bus lanes, and the Council going back on its promise of 22 March 2023 to fully signalise the roundabout at the junction with Holborn Road and Springwell Road, will the portfolio holder agree to do a U-turn, scrap the bus lanes and install the promised traffic lights at the junction?”
Responding, Councillor Lindsey Leonard (Labour, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport) said a “series of measures have been looked into” and that there are: “no plans to change the layout of this junction” because modelling showed traffic lights may increase tailbacks.”
This led to critisism from the Liberal Democrats, which Labour have now hit back on.
A comment from the party says: “This is a complex and busy junction that is used by many thousands of vehicles week in week out, and we therefore expect council officers to undertake significant modelling work to inform decision-making when considering adjustments that will impact on traffic flow and pedestrian access and movement.
“We are logging public feedback on the proposals and – as a listening council – these will form part of the decision-making process, along with significant traffic modelling to explore options and, indeed, the advice of officers within the local authority.”
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