Not only does the Armley Gyratory have a bizarre name, but it is also one of the busiest junctions in Leeds.
Roughly 100,000 people travel on the roundabout every single day, with traffic from all directions across the city. Motorists on the A58 Inner Ring Road, the A643 Ingram Distributor, Wellington Road and Canal Street all enter the dizzying carousel to the west of the city centre.
But major changes are on the way. A £40.5 million scheme was approved earlier this year and eagle-eyed commuters may have already noticed some changes, with trees being removed from the middle of the roundabout.
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That's just the tip of the iceberg though and the junction will be completely overhauled in the coming years. New lanes will be added, cyclists will be given better protection and temporarily reduced speed limits will all come into force over the coming months.
We've rounded up all the changes below as one of Leeds' best-used roads gears up to be completely remodelled.
Why is it happening?
The Armley Gyratory changes are just one part of a huge project to improve transport links across the city. Millions of pounds are also being spent on improving The Headrow, City Square and Leeds Corn Exchange.
None of those routes are as busy as the Armley Gyratory though and this is arguably the biggest road improvement scheme in Leeds for years. Motorists were quizzed on what needed to be improved, with people raising concerns about safety, a lack of accessible pedestrian and cycle routes, poor air quality and major congestion issues.
What is changing?
Be prepared for a lot of changes by the time the project has finished. New speed limits, extra carriageways and improved traffic signals are among the alterations on the way.
One of the biggest changes is the reduction in the speed limit for the duration of the work. Currently, road users can travel at up to 40mph on the Armley Gyratory, but this will be reduced to 30mph until the end of 2023. Once the project is completed, the speed limit will go back up to 40mph.
Northbound traffic will be moved away from nearby residential areas and a number of new lanes will also be added to try and ease congestion on the roundabout.
The bulk of these will be on the southern edge of the Armley Gyratory, between the A58 Inner Ring Road and the Canal Street junctions. Extra lanes will also be added for traffic heading onto the roundabout at the northbound junction from the A643 Ingram Distributor.
The existing Canal Street sliproad will be demolished altogether. Instead, all traffic heading onto the roundabout from Armley will do so across four lanes directly onto the roundabout. New traffic lights will be installed for traffic coming from Armley and also for drivers using Wellington Road.
Northbound traffic on the A643 Ingram Distributor will notice another change too. Currently, traffic enters the dual carriageway from the adjoining Gelderd Road, leading to congestion. However, new traffic lights will be installed here to manage the flow of traffic better.
What about pedestrians and cyclists?
Changes for people who don't drive a car have been placed at the heart of the plans too. A brand new pedestrian and cycle bridge will be built over the A58 Inner Ring Road junction, while the footpath will be widened underneath the railway bridge.
The existing footpath on the eastern edge of the roundabout will be widened and improved. Furthermore, a brand new signal-controlled pedestrian and cycle crossing will be built on Wellington Road.
What about road closures?
One weekend in particular will lead to disruptions and diversions for drivers in Leeds. That's because the Armley Gyratory will be completely closed to all traffic from 8pm on Friday, April 8 until 5am on Monday, April 11.
Car users are being told to use public transport instead of driving over this period, as it will be "more reliable". However, diversion routes will be in place for commuters.
As things stand, there are no further scheduled full closures of the roundabout. However, the major construction project is likely to cause significant delays as works progress over the course of 2022 and 2023.
Have the plans changed?
Original blueprints for the Armley Gyratory were released in 2019, but they have since been altered quite drastically. One of the biggest changes in the original plans was a planned new road cutting right through the middle of the roundabout.
This will no longer be built. Although British Gas has closed its base next to the Armley Gyratory, the land in the middle of the roundabout remains privately owned and a new road cannot be built here.
When will it be finished?
Work has already started, but it could take almost two years for the project to be fully completed. Trees and shrubs have been removed from the roundabout to improve lines of sight, but the bulk of construction work will get underway in April 2022.
Over the next few months, workers will begin to re-align the lanes and widen the road to increase capacity. Construction will continue to add capacity throughout 2023, with the final landscaping and structural elements due to be finished before Christmas.
Let us know your thoughts on the plans for the Armley Gyratory. Leave your comments below.
