WORK is expected to start in January on the first phase of plans to introduce traffic lights on the notorious Belmont roundabout in Hereford.

It involves installing signals to improve the flow of traffic in and out of St Martin's Street, the realignment of existing islands and the provision of a Pelican style pedestrian crossing across the A49 trunk road.

The new lights will be confined to the St Martin's Street junction with Greyfriars Bridge.

But it is understood that traffic using the whole of Belmont roundabout, one of the busiest in the city will eventually be controlled by another seven sets of signals.

The time scale for this major scheme is uncertain, depending on two major factors.

Much will depend on the outcome of a planning application by ASDA/Eign Enterprises to develop adjacent Causeway Farm land and the decision of an on-going investigation into how to prevent flooding on the island.

Among suggestions for the latter is the building of embankments in the area of Hinton Road and round Hereford swimming baths to prevent River Wye flood water flowing from King George's Playing Fields.

The Highways Agency has confirmed that it hopes to start on the first phase of the traffic signalling scheme on Jan 7 and the work will last six weeks.

There is some mixed reaction to the proposal. Herefordshire Councillor Bob Preece said helping traffic in and out of St Martin's Street would benefit some people, but delay many others.

He thought priority should be given to easing the flow of traffic on the A49 trunk road rather than encourage more people to use St Martin's Street.

"I do not see how they can do this without causing more problems. It should have been the last part of the scheme,'' he said.

But Councillor Chris Chappell welcomed the news, saying he had urged the Highways Agency as long ago as last January to get on with it and not wait until it could implement the scheme as a whole.

The way this was done depended on the other issues of flooding and proposed development of Causeway Farm.

Improvement of the St Martin's Street junction needed doing now to help traffic and to make it safer for pedestrians.

Giving three months notice of the work the Highways Agency, which is responsible for trunk roads said it would take place between points 70m north and 60m south of the St Martin's St junction and for a distance of 75m easterly along the street itself.

Together with traffic lights it would include anti-skid surfacing and road markings, the provision of a dedicated right turn lane, the realignment of the of the central reservation and the alteration of traffic islands at the junction.

It is understood land now used as parking near the junction will be absorbed into the highway.