STEPHEN PULLINGER Highways Agency bosses will be urged tofast-track their plans to improve Yarmouth's Gapton Hall roundabout in the wake of"traffic gridlock" over Christmas and the New Year.

STEPHEN PULLINGER

Highways Agency bosses will be urged to

fast-track their plans to improve Yarmouth's Gapton Hall roundabout in the wake of

"traffic gridlock" over Christmas and the New Year.

Yarmouth's Gapton Hall taskforce of councillors and business leaders will have the chance to confront senior agency officers at a public meeting arranged for next month when the results of a traffic survey carried

out at the roundabout during August and September will be revealed.

The aim of the agency-commissioned study - carried out to support its existing computer model of traffic flow on that section of the A12 - was to find ways of easing congestion.

Graham Plant, taskforce chairman and borough council cabinet member, said: "The gridlock got so bad on one occasion last week during the first days of the sales, that police had to be called in to direct traffic."

The agency says hi-tech traffic lights that respond to traffic movements might be the best way to ease congestion but the £250,000 funding could not be found until 2009-10 at the earliest.

However, Mr Plant said: "We will be telling the agency this time frame is unacceptable. The A12 is a major trunk road and the traffic hold-ups must be tackled."

The public meeting is being fixed for the week beginning Monday, February 18. It is also being planned to reschedule the next meeting of the Norfolk County Council Yarmouth area committee from February 4 to February 25 so councillors can also consider the latest data from the agency.