Information on Loughborough

shepshed traffic flow

Posted on 27/07/2007
Loughborough Newsdesk

traffic lightsImprovements to two Shepshed junctions have cut journey times for commuters travelling to and from the M1.

Drivers travelling through the junctions of Ashby Road (A512) with Charnwood Road and Leicester Road had been experiencing delays in the morning and evening peak periods, with it taking an average of seven minutes to cover the mile-long stretch to Junction 23 of the M1.

To help, the County Council has put in new equipment which controls the signals and, depending on the traffic conditions, gives longer green light periods and special signals for cycles.

So far, the seven-minute journey between Charnwood Rd and the motorway junction has been cut by three minutes in peak morning traffic. In the opposite direction, evening traffic times show a reduction of 30 seconds - from three minutes down to two minutes and 30 seconds.

Nicholas Rushton, Deputy Leader of Leicestershire County Council, with responsibility for Highways and Transportation said: "We are very pleased with the initial results, and will carry out further monitoring of the site when the schools start back.

"We have plans to install the new signal controller equipment at other locations across the Leicestershire and these early indications give us confidence that the technology is having the desired effect."

Similar improvements have been made to the signals at the motorway junction itself by the Highways Agency.