A NEW junction featuring a 'Frideswide Square-style' roundabout has been unveiled in Broad Street after a £65,000 improvement project.

Traffic lights have been removed at the street's junction with Parks Road, Holywell Street and Catte Street, and a raised roundabout installed.

Oxford University linked-up with Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council on the project, which it is hoped will improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

County council officers revealed damage to the traffic lights at the junction last year would cost £100,000 to repair but, like Frideswide Square, the new scheme does not feature lights.

Oxford University's 'green travel fund' – generated from parking charges paid by Oxford University staff – contributed £35,000, with both local authorities adding to the pot.

Chairman of Oxford University's buildings and estates sub-committee, Professor Nick Brown, said: "The Broad Street junction is a key gateway to the university's science area and the Clarendon Building and Weston Library fronting it are major attractions in their own right.

"The University used its green travel fund – generated from parking income paid by University staff – to support this substantial improvement to the safety and convenience of walking and cycling for its community, local people and visitors.

"It has also created a more attractive street scene in keeping with this historic part of Oxford."

Council transport bosses also ruled traffic signals had become 'obsolete' due to reduced traffic flows through the junction in recent years.

Similar to the £6.7m Frideswide Square project there are no road markings or lights, just a roundabout – designed to make vehicles slow down and be more cautious.

Cycling campaign group Cyclox back the proposals and chairman Simon Hunt said the raised junction would offer 'a degree of traffic calming' and that many cyclists preferred a shared space design.

City councillors Alex Hollingsworth and Dan Iley-Williamson both contributed £2,500 from their community budgets and the council's 'Cycle Oxford' budget made up its contribution of £15,000.

Mr Iley-Williamson said: "This busy junction is within my ward and since I became a councillor in 2016 I have been asking for improvements to be made to it, particularly for cyclists.

"This will be a real improvement and will make it easier for all road users to navigate what is one of the city's most beautiful streets."

The county council's cabinet member for transport, Yvonne Constance, said: "The new look is far more in keeping with the area and the junction table reduces the speed of traffic.

"People who travel through the junction have been getting used to the new layout during the construction and the feedback has been positive.

"Hopefully now it is all finished people will really see the benefits."