IPSWICH town centre is due to get a new look next year with engineering work to improve the bus route around the town centre.The work could involve major changes to some of the most difficult junctions in the town centre – like the lights between Dog's Head Street and Upper Brook Street.

IPSWICH town centre is due to get a new look next year with engineering work to improve the bus route around the town centre.

The work could involve major changes to some of the most difficult junctions in the town centre - like the lights between Dog's Head Street and Upper Brook Street.

This is an important junction that sees hundreds of bus movements a day - all heading out from the Old Cattle Market bus station.

The junction is so tight that buses often have to mount the pavement either beside the Ipswich Building Society or on the other side of the road in front of Stop Press newsagents.

So far there have been no accidents at the junction but pedestrians have to be quick to dodge out of the way if buses are coming around the corner.

Borough council transportation manager Stephen Auld accepted there were problems at many corners in the town centre.

He said: "We have to face the fact that the Ipswich road network is based on the historic roads that have been there for centuries.

"Many of these are quite narrow and have tight corners - like that between Dog's Head Street and Upper Brook Street.

"A big part of the problem is that buses are getting much bigger than they were - they're longer and do have more difficulty in getting around these tight corners.

"But there have not been any accidents there - although we will look at the junction when the roads are re-engineered next year."

The network of roads which are closed to private cars is to be re-engineered between March and September.

Some of the roads, including Dogs Head Street, Upper Brook Street, and Northgate Street, are expected to be paved to make it more clear that they are only open to buses, cycles, and taxis.

Mr Auld said: "We don't know exactly when the work will start - it depends on a number of factors. But we do aim to have finished everything by next Christmas.

"There is a limit to what we can do to junctions like that at Upper Brook Street, but if it can be made safer it will be."

The cost of the work will not come from council tax payers - the funds for the work were given by the developers of the Anglia Retail Park in Bury Road which was part of the planning agreement giving them permission to build the park.

Ipswich Buses managing director Malcolm Robson said none of his drivers had ever had an accident at the Upper Brook Street junction.

"It is tight - and they are all aware to be very careful there," he said.

What do you think of the junction at Upper Brook Street? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk