DETAILS of the major roadworks that should transform the town centre over the next year have been outlined by the county council.

Work on the �21 million Travel Ipswich project began in the summer with changes to the Portman Road/Handford Road junction – but the most major work is due to start later this month.

The Civic Drive roundabout is being converted into a junction controlled by traffic lights.

Work starts on September 24 – on which day most of the underpasses will be closed before being filled in.

Work on the junction is due to continue until April next year – although it will be suspended between late November and early January to ease disruption over the Christmas period.

Once National Grid Gas have completed their repair work on Fore Street, the road will be finished as part of the scheme – that work is due to be completed by October 5.

Another major element of the scheme is to redevelop the town’s two bus stations.

The Old Cattle Market bus station is due to be remodelled between March and May next year – Dogs Head Street and Silent Street are to have minor work before then – and the Tower Ramparts station is to be refurbished between May and August next year.

Work on Grimwade Street should be completed by the middle of October – and landscaping work on Princes Street between Civic Drive and the railway station will be undertaken between October and January aimed at making this more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists.

Between February and April next year Majors Corner and Mulberry Corner will be remodelled.

Lower Brook Street will become a one-way street southbound early next year and there will also be a new one-way system introduced in part of Museum Street in March.

Princes Street, between Friars Street and the Corn Exchange, and Queen Street will be pedestrianised between September and November next year.

Travel Ipswich Project manager Clive Wilkinson said the work would be timed to cause as little disruption as possible – the Civic Drive roundabout project was organised so traffic would continue to be able to use it.

He said: “That will be done between 9am and 4.30pm to try to minimise disruption at peak times, but there will be some impact on traffic.”

For details on how the work is going and when changes are happening, visit the special website www.travelipswich.co.uk

Will Travel Ipswich be good for the town? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail starletters@archant.co.uk