Improvement works at a junction in the centre of Bath have been paused to help ease traffic in the run-up to Christmas.
The work at the Queen Square junction is not yet complete, with temporary footway surfaces being installed ahead of a continuation in the New Year.
The temporary surfaces will be replaced with traditional pennant stone paving and sections of footway will be widened to allow more room for walking and wheeling.
The local authority has said it will leave signs around the junction giving advance notice that works will resume in the New Year.
The junction, between Queen Square and Gay Street, receives heavy foot and vehicle traffic and has had a three-way temporary traffic light system in place since late September to stay open while improvement works took place.
New traffic signals have been installed, replacing older signals which had reached the end of their lifespan.
The new signals use LEDs, making them more visible for pedestrians and motorists and also include a pedestrian crossing countdown timer, which shows how much time is left to safely cross.
Low level cycle signals have also been installed. These are separate from the vehicle signals and turn green before to allow cyclists to set off earlier and more safely.
Road lining at the junction has also been refreshed and a small section of Old King Street has been resurfaced.
The new signals are part of an ongoing effort by Bath & North East Somerset council to encourage more walking, wheeling and cycling in Bath’s city centre by making its roads safer for pedestrians.
Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Transport said: “We’re pleased we have been able to get the new traffic signals operational in time for the influx of visitors Bath receives in the build up to Christmas.
“Improvement works like this are so important to keep our traffic network up to date, supporting sustainable travel and improving safety.”
