A £5million package of improvements has been put forward for five of Ipswich’s most congested junctions.

The scheme, announced by Suffolk County Council yesterday, will see upgrades at the Landseer Road/Clapgate Lane junction, the Nacton Road/Maryon Road junction, the Nacton Road/Rands Way junction, St Augustine’s roundabout through to Sainsbury’s on Felixstowe Road and the Foxhall Road/Heath Road roundabout.

The work is all due to be completed over a nine-month period, from November this year to the end of May 2018.

The improvements will be funded with £1.5m from Suffolk County Council and £3.5m from the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (NALEP).

The upgrades will include new LED traffic lights that monitor the flow of traffic and respond to congestion, energy efficient street lighting and lane widening. The traffic lights will link up with other junctions, which will allow the green-light timings to be adjusted to control traffic more effectively.

The announcement comes soon after the completion of the controversial £21m Travel Ipswich scheme and the release of Ipswich Borough Council’s new housing strategy, which identifies the need for nearly 10,000 new homes in the town by 2031.

Councillor Paul West, cabinet member for Ipswich, said the upgrades took into account the future growth of the town.

He said: “We want it to have benefit to road users, pedestrians, cyclists, all of the community – people coming from outside Ipswich to work and shop and for residents of Ipswich itself.

“You will never be able to increase capacity and make things better for vehicles and pedestrians if we don’t do anything.

“We’re working to minimise the short-term inconvenience because we know that makes an impact on people’s lives and getting around.

“As an Ipswich resident myself, I share the same concerns, frustrations, desires that the rest of the people of Ipswich have, so this is designed to make everybody’s life a little bit easier and allow the town to move forward and account for growth that is planned in the future.”

Of the five areas set for works, the Nacton Road/Rands Way junction will see the most dramatic change. A public consultation for this part of the work will be held.

Landseer Road/Clapgate Lane junction

New LED traffic lights that respond to congestion and new energy efficient street lighting.

Crossing to be realigned and a Toucan crossing installed.

Nacton Road/Maryon Road junction

New Led traffic lights that respond to congestion and the inbound carriageway widened to two lanes.

Nacton Road/Rands Way junction

Access to Rands Way will be closed, creating a cul-de-sac, and the roundabout removed and replaced by new LED traffic lights.

Inbound carriageway widened to two lanes and Toucan crossing installed for pedestrians and cyclists.

St Augustine’s roundabout down to Felixstowe Road Sainsbury’s

Felixstowe Road widened to two lanes inbound to Bixley Road.

Traffic lights to be upgraded and new energy effective street lighting.

Foxhall Road/Heath Road roundabout

Approaches from Bixley Road and Heath Road widened to two lanes and a Toucan crossing created.