RESIDENTS have had the chance to see how the A69 roundabout at Hexham will be transformed.

A consultation event last Thursday at Hexham Community Centre saw Highways England officials explain to the public how traffic will flow while work is being carried out at the Bridge End roundabout to create an underpass. This is part of a £30m project to improve the A69 at Hexham and Corbridge.

To address previous concerns about traffic flow, the new proposal is to install turning points 170m to the east and west of the roundabout – creating an elongated version of the current roundabout.

This will mean that from October 2019 to May 2020, the current roundabout will be open, with some lane restrictions, while the turning points are installed.

When the temporary turns come in to operation in May 2020, the current roundabout, in the middle of the turning points, will be closed allowing for the underpass to be built.

In the first phase of work there will still be two lanes in use to enter on to the roundabout from the east and west, although exiting the roundabout there will only be one lane in use which will allow for works access.

The speed limit will be reduced to 30mph throughout the work, and the new road is expected to be open by the end of next year.

Hexham resident Ian Buckley, who was at the consultation, was one of those to raise concerns that the money would be better spent on dualling the road to the west of Hexham.

Project manager Russell Mclean said: “If we were to dual the road, these works would have to be carried out anyway. Having this junction in will mean a continuous stretch of dual carriageway, which means if the proposal is brought forward for dualling we are part way there.”