IPSWICH'S new town centre traffic scheme comes into force at the end of the month.The final touches are being made to the road system – new cycle lanes are being painted and new signs have gone up warning motorists about the changes being introduced on October 27.

IPSWICH'S new town centre traffic scheme comes into force at the end of the month.

The final touches are being made to the road system – new cycle lanes are being painted and new signs have gone up warning motorists about the changes being introduced on October 27.

When the changes are introduced, many buses will do a loop of the town centre, dropping off passengers as near as possible to their intended destination.

Not all buses will use the loop – and the advice from Ipswich Buses managing director Malcolm Robson is for passengers to use the Tower Ramparts bus station until they are familiar with the new routes.

"Many of our services will be using all or part of the town centre loop, but not all – and we will have extra staff on duty at Tower Ramparts for a time when the new system starts," he said.

One of the features of the new road system is a cycle contra-flow in the opposite direction to main one-way roads.

The cycle lanes have been marked on roads, and warning signs for pedestrians are being put up.

Motorists should not be affected much by the changes – the new one-way system is on roads where private cars are banned anyway and apply only to buses, taxis, and delivery vehicles.

"We are aware that with all the signs and leaflets that have been distributed, the changes look quite complicated – but we think people will understand them when they are all introduced and are up and running," said Mr Robson.