A project to improve safety for people using Addenbrooke’s roundabout in Cambridge has been given the green light.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership has agreed to move forward with the £890,000 project, which it said would be the first phase of improvements at the junction.

Proposals for the redesign of the roundabout were put together to try and make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

The GCP agreed to fast track the plans to address safety concerns after the death of a cyclist who was hit by a petrol tanker at the roundabout in 2021.

The redesign plans were approved by the GCP’s executive board on January 4.

The board also approved the £890,000 budget to undertake the work – £200,000 of which has come from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority – with an additional £240,000 identified as a risk allowance.

A report on the project said: “The design will provide significantly wider shared use facilities to allow cyclists – as well as pedestrians – segregated access from Fendon Road to the crossing point on the southern arm without having to use the carriageway, and provides a good continuous route between Fendon Road and the shared pathway that leads into the Addenbrookes site behind the bus interchange.

“Widening of the paths is achieved by shrinking the central island of the roundabout slightly.

“This allows for the existing traffic lane layout to be safely retained.

“Overall, the changes that are proposed address the key safety concerns that have been identified by Cambridgeshire County Council and provide significant enhancements.”

Peter Blake, transport director at the GCP, said: “We see this as phase one, let’s get some improvements in now and work with partners on further phases.”

The GCP is aiming for construction work on the safety improvements to begin in the spring/summer time this year, and estimates the work will take around two months to complete.