Plans to alleviate congestion around Nuneaton have been released by Warwickshire County Council.

The Transforming Nuneaton project will see the biggest investment in infrastructure in the town in decades and will see huge changes including the removal of the iconic ‘Dandelion’ roundabout, as well as the removal of one-way systems.

The investment will  come from the county council’s Capital Investment Fund (CIF) and the council hopes the improvement to roads will boost the local economy by making the town more attractive to developers and businesses.

Among the key projects being proposed are:

• A444/Corporation Street / Powell Way – The existing ‘Dandelion’ roundabout will be removed and replaced with a four arm signalised crossroads. Planners say this will cause a significant reduction in queues on Corporation Street and reduces queues in the Midland Road/Corporation Street Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and improve facilities for cyclists and pedestrians. Also included within this scheme is a new four arm signalised junction at the A444 / Abbey St junction, to provide improved bus access into the town centre.

• A444/Queens Road – The road will be widened to allow a bus lane to go in. It is hoped the wider road will benefit drivers and cyclists and that public transport accessibility at the junction at the junction by a bus lane.

• A444/Wheat Street – Provision of a fourth arm to an existing three arm signalised junction to unlock development along Wheat Street west (Vicarage Street Development Site). This will also provide improvements to cyclist/pedestrian facilities.

• A444/Leicester Road/Back Street/Bond Street/Regent Street – This scheme will remove the existing one-way gyratory system and replace it with a four-arm roundabout. Approximately 420 metres of one way system will be removed. Proposed toucan crossings on Leicester Road arm, Vicarage Street and A444 west  approach, along with the existing alignment of Regent St will provide vastly improved cyclist and pedestrian facilities. Various land titles would need to be purchased and various buildings demolished to allow the new roundabout.

Councillor Jeff Clarke, who is the cabinet member for transport said: “I welcome this county council proposal as identified in the report along and the proposed investment in the infrastructure for Nuneaton’s ring road, which will of course help with the Transforming Nuneaton project,” he said.

“The proposals identified in the report could bring many benefits by reducing journey times, addressing air quality issues, along with easier bus, pedestrian and cycle access into the town.”