Rossendale Borough Council recognises the concerns and issues raised by residents in regards to the Rawtenstall Gyratory works. Here are answers to some of the frequently asked questions
1.What are you doing and why?
Traffic congestion and flow through Rawtenstall have been long-standing issues, and something needed to be done to improve the situation.
As part of the Rawtenstall Masterplan and feedback gathered from our annual Residents Survey, a set of changes has been planned to make travel in and around the town smoother, more efficient, and better connected.
Updates to the gyratory, St Mary’s Way (the road moving towards ASDA and Burnley Road), and surrounding roads will help ease congestion, reduce waiting times at traffic lights, and improve traffic flow. The plans include new junction layouts, controlled crossings, and upgraded smart traffic signals.
These changes will also make the town safer and more accessible with improved crossings and better public spaces. Bus priority measures will help reduce congestion and make bus journeys more reliable.
1a. What are the upgraded smart traffic light signals, and how will this help?
The upgraded traffic lights will "talk to each other" to better coordinate the flow of vehicles across different junctions. This will reduce the stop-start traffic flow at each traffic light and junction, and will support a more continuous flow of traffic, especially during busier times of the day. The upgraded system will create a more effective, ‘joined-up’ network, rather than individual junctions operating in isolation.
2. How will reducing lanes help traffic flow?
The section of St Mary's Way between the Asda junction and Bacup Road (Queens) junction (travelling away from Rawtenstall town centre) will be reduced from three lanes to two. While it might seem like fewer lanes would increase congestion, traffic modelling shows the opposite. Currently, the third lane causes confusion and merging issues, which slows traffic down. By simplifying the layout to two lanes and introducing smarter traffic signals, vehicles will move more smoothly and consistently through the town centre.
Additional benefits:
- Improved pedestrian safety – The removal of the subway and installation of a controlled crossing will make it easier and safer for people to navigate the area.
- Better public spaces – The lane reduction allows for wider pavements and a ‘green barrier’ with trees and shrubbery, improving the environment and supporting outdoor dining, cafe culture and other activities.
- A long-term strategy – These upgrades are part of the Rawtenstall Masterplan, a long-term vision for the town’s development over the next 10 to 15 years, supported by Lancashire County Council.
By making these changes, Rawtenstall will have a more efficient, welcoming, and better-connected town centre, with less congestion and smoother traffic flow.
3.Will cars still be able to turn onto Bacup Road at the Queens traffic lights?
Yes. Cars will still be able to turn left at the Queens traffic lights onto Bacup Road. There are no plans to change this.
4.What is happening at the Bacup Road (Queens) junction on to St Mary’s Way?
The number of lanes used by private vehicles along Bacup Road (Queens) is reducing from two lanes to one lane. The second lane is not being removed however, it will be a dedicated bus lane, leading into the ‘bus gate’.
5. What is a bus gate?
The dedicated bus lane at the Bacup Road (Queens) junction will connect to a ‘bus gate’.
A bus gate is a short section of road only for buses and authorised vehicles, such as emergency services and Hackney Carriages. Private cars and private-hire taxis won’t be allowed to use it, and it will be in effect 24/7. Despite the name, there won’t be a physical gate - just signs and road markings to indicate the restriction.
Signs will be installed in advance, and Lancashire County Council will provide more information before the bus gate becomes active.
5a.What is the bus gate for?
To help reduce congestion and improve traffic flow, buses will be able to make a right turn at the Bacup Road (Queens) junction, allowing buses to turn directly onto St Mary’s Way.
These changes will make bus journeys faster and more reliable while improving overall traffic flow in the area and also remove those buses from the Gyratory.
6. Why are all these roadworks being done in the first place?
All the plans are part of the Rawtenstall Masterplan. This long-term vision outlines improvements needed over the next 10 to 15 years to make the town more welcoming, better connected, and improve life for residents, businesses and visitors. The plan was developed based on feedback from residents and businesses, as well as evidence of what changes are needed to support residents and businesses.
7.Where is the money coming from and why can’t you spend this money fixing all the potholes?
Funding from Government is provided for specific purposes. Both Rossendale Borough Council and Lancashire County Council have successfully secured funds for Rawtenstall’s improvements. The funding awarded can only be used for the specific projects it was granted for - for example, money for safer crossings and bus route improvements cannot be redirected for other purposes including fixing potholes.
8.Why are there so many roadworks, and what is being done to reduce disruption?
Due to the scale of the work required, projects have been carefully planned to minimise disruption as much as possible. Rossendale Borough Council and Lancashire County Council have worked together to schedule the work in a way that reduces the impact on the community as much as possible. However, some disruption is unavoidable.
Both councils will continue working together to manage disruptions, provide updates, and listen to feedback. They understand the frustration roadworks can cause and apologise for any inconvenience. Efforts are being made behind the scenes to manage both planned and emergency works, and we will keep looking for ways to improve and keep people informed.
9.Whats happening with the subway?
The plan initially was to close the subway and replace it with a pedestrian crossing. However, after listening to concerns raised by the community about flooding, we paused the work for review the situation. More updates on the plans and next steps will be shared later this year.